Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together
by Dozo14
Summary: The Chosen and Arthur set out to capture Bryant so he can free the petrified wizards. When Ambrose considers releasing the virus, Ramsey becomes conflicted and reaches out to an unexpected person. An increasingly unstable Harper goes on a quest for vengeance and a way to regain her lost powers.
1. Chapter 1

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Xxx

 _Many centuries ago, on the shores of the beautiful city of Avalon, two young men were running across the beach at sunset. One tackled the other and they rolled through the sand, laughing as they wrestled in a playful manner. Finally, one of the young men was able to pin down the other as he sat on his chest, pressing his arms in the sand. The two had been playing this game since they were children, having grown up together despite their many differences._

" _Do you yield?" The winner asked._

" _Yes, yes, I yield." The other replied with a reluctant smile. "Now release me, Ambrosius."_

" _Say it first." Ambrosius demanded._

" _Must we do this every time?" The other asked. "Alright, I admit it, you are stronger."_

" _And yet you will wear the crown when the time comes." Ambrosius said with a sudden bitterness in his voice. "Tomorrow you begin your training and everything will change."_

 _Ambrosius rolled off his friend and got up, walking closer to the sea until his feet were in the water. His friend looked concerned as he followed him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Ambrosius looked into his kind, bright green eyes and felt conflicted. He loved his childhood friend, yet he was jealous of him as well._

" _Nothing is going to change." The young man said. "You will always be my best friend. I don't care about the crown or royal blood."_

" _Then maybe you shouldn't wear the crown, Merlin." Ambrosius replied as he turned to his friend. "Why does our city have to be ruled by royal blood? Why does it give you the right? I am stronger than you. You said it yourself."_

" _My father says it takes more than strength to rule." Merlin said. "It takes a kind and just heart and the wisdom to use it right."_

" _You do not think I can be a fair ruler?" Ambrosius asked._

" _I did not say that." Merlin replied. "I have been preparing for this my entire life, as was expected of me. There are things that you do not understand about being of royal blood."_

" _Because I am a lowly commoner." Ambrosius snapped at him as he pulled away and started walking down the beach. "As I will always be."_

" _Stop twisting my words." Merlin said angrily as he followed. "You do not understand the burden. You can choose whatever life you want. My life has been decided since my birth."_

" _The only thing I desire is to be king." Ambrosius replied. "The one thing I can never be. And yet you shall be king without even wanting it. How can you expect us to be friends?"_

" _We are friends, Ambrose." Merlin said with a hurt tone in his voice. "Or have bitterness and envy finally overgrown your heart?"_

" _We were friends when we were children." Ambrosius said determined as he turned to face him. "Now we must grow up and realize the truth. We were never going to last. Our paths have always led in different directions."_

" _So our friendship is over?" Merlin asked with tears in his eyes._

" _A king cannot be friends with a commoner." Ambrosius replied harshly._

 _Ambrosius turned and walked away from his heartbroken friend. Although it hurt, there was no other way. He could not stand by and support someone who was unfit to be king. Not when he wanted to rule in his place. Part of him would always care about Merlin, but his resentment toward royal blood meant it was destined to end in pain. He needed to focus his attentions on achieving his own desires. Friendship was a weakness he could no longer afford. One way or another, he would be king._

Xxx

In the present, a sharply suited Ambrose stepped out of a black limousine as the driver opened the door. He had arrived in front of a large office building in the center of San Francisco. The name on the building read Brewman Investments, the multimillion dollar business that Ambrose has founded under his mortal alias Alaric Brewman. It was a business that Ambrose had created to blend into the mortal world and get access and influence around the city. It had allowed him to place his son Ramsey on the mayor's team to create the virus.

"Good morning, mister Brewman." The doorman said as he opened the door.

"Good morning." Ambrose replied with a fake smile.

Ambrose headed to the elevator and went up to his private office in the penthouse. He resented being around these weak mortals, but it was important to keep up appearances. Once he had reclaimed the world for the wizards, all mortals would bow before him. He left the elevator and was met by his personal assistant, a beautiful young woman named Felicia.

"Good morning, mister Brewman." Felicia said as she walked with him to his office. "You have an investor meeting at ten and a lunch meeting with your lawyers at one. You also have several emails that require your attention and we still need to RSVP to the mayor's ball."

"Remind me about the ball again?" Ambrose asked.

"It is tomorrow evening, sir." Felicia replied. "It is a fundraiser at the museum to kick off the new campaign season. I am sure the mayor is counting on your support again."

"Of course." Ambrose said. "Silly of me to forget. Please tell the mayor I will be there."

"And will you be bringing a plus one, sir?" Felicia asked.

"Is that a proposition, Felicia?" Ambrose replied with a smile.

"Oh, of course not, sir." Felicia said flustered. "I mean, I would be honored, but I wasn't implying…"

"Calm down, Felicia, I was just joking." Ambrose said. "Actually, make it a plus three, I want to bring my children."

"Children?" Felicia asked surprised. "I'm sorry, sir, I wasn't aware you had children."

"We only recently reconnected." Ambrose replied. "I wasn't involved with their upbringing, but they're adults now. I want to show them my world."

"I'm sorry to hear, sir." Felicia said. "But I am happy for you that they are back in your life."

"Thank you." Ambrose replied. "Now I have to get to work."

"Of course." Felicia said.

Felicia turned around and headed back while Ambrose entered his office and closed the door. As he sat down at his desk, he looked out over the city through the glass walls. Now that his plans were moving and his goal was coming closer, going through the everyday motions was becoming more tedious by the day. Part of him wanted to release the virus and get it over with. Wiping out all magical beings in one swoop would leave the world ready for the taking. However, it would also damage the world, as some magical beings were still necessary for it to function. Therefore, the virus remained his last resort.

Xxx

At the same time in a black surveillance van, agent Murphy was keeping taps on the building. After the virus had been stolen by Ramsey Tate, the mayor had instructed Murphy to find out who the scientist was truly working for. Ramsey had been recommended by Alaric Brewman, a wealthy businessman and one of the mayor's political supporters. Murphy had keep keeping an eye on Brewman and had finally been able to capture the elusive businessman on camera as he entered the building. He had also managed to hack the email account of his assistant, allowing him to see his agenda.

"Let's see what you have planned the next few days." Murphy noted as he grabbed his laptop and went through the emails. "So he is going to the ball at the museum tomorrow. And he is bringing his… children?"

Murphy frowned and grabbed the file on Brewman, as there was no mention of children anywhere. Brewman was a complete mystery, having appeared out of nowhere a few years ago. He was definitely more than simple businessman. Murphy looked at his watch and realized it was time to report back to the mayor.

About thirty minutes later, Murphy arrived at the mayor's office and was led in by one of her security guards. The mayor was standing by the window, clutching the ruby amulet around her neck.

"What have you learned?" the mayor asked.

"Not much yet." Murphy replied. "Brewman is a mystery. He has no past and he barely shows up at his own company."

"I never should have accepted his donations." The mayor said as she sat down at her desk. "I always knew there was something off. You must have found something."

"He will be attending the fundraising ball tomorrow." Murphy replied.

"Really?" the mayor asked. "He has some nerve after he sent that mole to steal the virus."

"Are you absolutely certain he is the one behind it?" Murphy asked.

"There are no other suspects." The mayor replied. "The number of people who knew about the virus is limited. Brewman had heard rumors and was very quick to offer his services."

"That is suspicious, I agree." Murphy said. "And if he sent a magical being to steal the virus, then chances are he is magical as well."

"So what are you saying?" the mayor asked.

"I'm saying that this may go beyond my expertise." Murphy replied. "I suggest we bring in outside help."

"I know exactly who you mean, but that's not an option." The mayor said determined.

"I thought you were on reasonable terms with them now." Murphy remarked. "This virus is a threat to them, they will help get it back."

"I tried to have them killed, agent Murphy." The mayor replied. "And I'm still on the fence concerning magic. I don't feel comfortable working with them."

"With all due respect, do you want answers?" Murphy asked.

"Of course, nobody double-crosses me." The mayor said angrily.

"Then we need to bring in the Chosen." Murphy replied. "Let me reach out to them."

"Alright." The mayor said after a moment of consideration. "Perhaps they will be able to help, though I doubt they will be willing."

"I think they will." Murphy said. "You shouldn't underestimate them. They are good kids."

The mayor gave him a skeptical frown before sitting down at her desk and resuming her work. She waved at her guard to escort Murphy out of her office. Once he was outside, he grabbed his phone to call Billie. Hopefully something good could come out of this. If they could get the virus back, the mayor might see reason and give up on her attempts to rid the city of magic.

Xxx

On the college campus, Billie was sitting on the edge of a fountain while reading a book for her psychology class. It was a nice sunny day and she had a free period. After a few hectic weeks, she and her friends finally had a few days to enjoy being college students again. The end of the schoolyear was coming closer and it was good to catch up on everything.

"Billie." A familiar voice sounded.

Billie turned and saw Duncan and Nathan heading in her direction, holding hands. They sat down on the fountain with her.

"Ah, don't you two look cute." Billie said with a smile.

"True." Duncan replied. "It's nice to have him around."

"So how are you adapting to college life, Nathan?" Billie asked.

"It takes some getting used to." Nathan replied. "I never even finished high school, but Duncan convinced me to give it a try."

"Wait, so how did you enroll without a diploma?" Billie asked.

"Don't ask." Duncan remarked.

"I may have faked one." Nathan said casually. "Consider it my goodbye to a life of crime."

"Well, it's for a good cause, I guess." Billie said with a shrug.

"I'm horribly behind though, having enrolled so late in the year." Nathan said. "Luckily, I have a very smart boyfriend who is helping me catch up."

"Yeah, you are pretty lucky." Duncan replied with a smile. "So where is Violet?"

"I think she headed home." Billie said. "She said she was feeling tired, since she hasn't been sleeping well lately. She was having nightmares."

"Is she alright?" Duncan asked.

"I think she just needs some rest." Billie replied. "I'll check on her in a while."

Billie got up and grabbed her stuff to head to class, though she stopped when her phone went off. She looked at her phone and frowned, as agent Murphy had sent her a text, telling her that he wanted to meet her and her friends as soon as possible. She wondered what he wanted. It had to be important if he wanted to meet right away. She showed the text to her friends and replied that they would meet him at the house in an hour.

Xxx

At the Chosen house, Violet was lying on her bed while the window was open, letting a soft breeze in. She had gone home to rest, as the last couple of nights had been filled with horrible dreams that she could not piece together. All she remembered was waking up screaming. She wanted to close her eyes and sleep, though she was afraid of having the nightmares again. On the other hand, she could not shake the feeling that she was missing something important. Perhaps she should stop fighting her dreams and try to understand them instead.

"It is just a dream, I can control them." Violet reminded herself as she closed her eyes and slowly drifted off.

 _The moment Violet opened her eyes again, she was standing in the middle of a dark hallway. She remembered it, as she had been there before. Something horrible was about to happen, she could feel it. She needed to stay focused and not get scared. She walked up to the large door in front of her and opened it. As soon as she did, a figure violently lunged at her. Violet screamed and fell to the ground as the figure tackled her._

" _No, let go!" Violet screamed._

" _Help me." The figure begged._

 _Violet stopped screaming. She had never listened to the figure before. It was asking for help. She opened her eyes and saw it was a young woman. She was sickly pale while her veins were pitch black. She seemed in a lot of pain._

" _What happened?" Violet asked. "What is wrong?"_

" _The virus." The figure whispered before collapsing._

 _Violet was shocked to hear about the virus. Could all of this be some troubling vision of the future? She gathered her strength and pushed the figure off her. She rose to her feet and entered the room in front of her. She was horrified by what she saw, as several lifeless bodies were lying in front of her, all affected by the same deadly illness. She also finally recognized the place she was in. It was the grand hall of Magic School._

" _Ambrose will release the virus." Violet whispered with tears in her eyes._

" _Yes, he will." A voice spoke._

 _Violet turned around and saw a young man standing behind her. He had brown hair, dressed in a simple leather coat and dark pants. He had a kind look in his bright green eyes._

" _Who are you?" Violet asked._

" _A messenger from higher forces." The young man said. "You must stop this future from happening, child of Destiny. It is why you were granted your powers."_

Violet woke up with a gasp and found herself trembling in her bedroom. She now remembered her dream vividly and realized why she had been having it. The man with the green eyes was right, she had to prevent that horrible future from ever coming true, which meant she and her friends had to stop Ambrose.

Xxx


	2. Chapter 2

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Part 2

Xxx

 _A few years ago, a teenaged Ramsey Tate was standing on a science fair organized by his high school. He had always had a passion for chemistry and biology and he hoped that his project would lead to a scholarship to an Ivy League university. He had been working on his project for months, a new method of purifying drinking water, which would hopefully benefit third-world countries someday. When the jury finally reached his stand, Ramsey had become so nervous that he started to stutter, something he had not done since he was ten. As he fumbled his way through his presentation, he saw the jury losing attention long before he was finished. Despite his prototype working perfectly, Ramsey knew he had lost as soon as the jury left. Reluctantly, he started cleaning up._

" _Interesting project." Someone said._

 _Ramsey stopped packing and turned his attention to the visitor. It was a middle-aged man in a business suit. For some reason, he looked strangely familiar._

" _Thank you." Ramsey replied._

" _I bet this could help a lot of people someday." The businessman said._

" _It could, but I don't think the jury was interested." Ramsey admitted._

" _They only care about the flashy and profitable projects." The businessman said. "Charity is not on their agenda, but it is on yours. Your parents must be proud of you."_

" _It's just me and my mom." Ramsey replied._

" _So what are your plans?" the businessman asked. "You're not giving up, are you?"_

" _I don't know." Ramsey said. "My mom can't afford to send me to an expensive college. I was counting on the scholarship."_

" _I might be able to help with that." The businessman said. "I am looking for young talent to invest in."_

" _Why would you do that?" Ramsey asked. "As you said, my project won't be profitable."_

" _I'm looking to make this world a better place." The businessman said. "To reshape it in my image. Also, we have a lot in common, Ramsey."_

" _We do?" Ramsey asked confused. "How so?"_

" _I think we have a lot to talk about, son." The businessman said as he extended his hand. "Let me introduce myself. Alaric Brewman."_

 _Ramsey hesitated, since it was strange that the businessman knew his name, though there was that strange familiar feeling. He shook his hand and walked with the man as he explained his vision. It was only later that Ramsey learned that he had just met his father, and that his entire life was about to change._

Xxx

In the present, Ramsey awoke from his dream about the past. His life had definitely changed the last couple of years. He had gone from a shy and socially awkward teenager to discovering he was a wizard with actual magical powers. With the financial support of his father, he had graduated Harvard and had worked on a secret project to create a deadly virus. Then he had acted as a spy and stolen the virus for his father. He was basically a combination between Harry Potter and James Bond, except that he was still socially awkward. He should feel proud and confident about his achievements, though there was the nagging feeling that something was wrong. He was not sure that his father was a good person, which made his own actions questionable as well.

"Good, you're finally awake." A voice sounded uncomfortably close.

Ramsey opened his eyes and saw Harper lying in bed with him. He quickly grabbed his glasses. When he looked at her, he could not help but notice she was in her underwear, specifically a revealing black bra. He also became painfully aware that he was only wearing underwear as well.

"Harper, what the hell?" Ramsey called out as he used the sheets to cover himself.

"Oh, don't be such a baby." Harper replied as she playfully tugged at the sheets. "Just think of it as a sleepover."

"You're my sister." Ramsey said awkwardly. "I don't want to see your… you know."

"We're only half-siblings." Harper replied. "But I do think you're cute when you're all flustered."

"What are you doing in my room?" Ramsey asked.

"I need your help." Harper said. "You're smart. I want you to help me get my powers back."

"This couldn't have waited until breakfast?" Ramsey asked.

"I've been waiting long enough." Harper said a little agitated. "I miss my powers, my lightning. I love how it feels when I shock someone."

"You do?" Ramsey asked nervously.

"Have you ever felt it?" Harper asked as she let her fingers slide over his arm. "It's quite a rush. It can hurt, but it can also give you pleasure."

"Oh my god!" Ramsey called out awkwardly as he rolled out of bed. "You can't do that."

Harper rolled her eyes and got out of bed as well. Ramsey adverted his gaze as she picked up a lacy bathrobe from the floor and put it on. He had known Harper had some mental issues, but now she just seemed plain crazy. Losing her powers had seemingly made her worse.

"You can look now, prude." Harper remarked.

Ramsey turned to face her and got up, grabbing the sheets to wrap around his waist as he did. Harper walked around the bed until she was in front of him.

"One way or another, I am going to get my powers back." Harper said.

"I'm not sure it's possible." Ramsey replied. "Your powers were stripped by the witches. Father said only they could reverse it."

"I don't care." Harper said determined. "I will do whatever it takes, even if I have to kill them for it. And you're going to help me. I'll meet you in your lab."

Harper turned around and walked out of his bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Ramsey let out a relieved sigh and sat down on the bed. He wondered what he had gotten himself into. He was grateful for everything his father had given him, but things just seemed wrong in this family. Maybe he had made a mistake getting involved with these people, but he feared what would happen if he tried to leave now.

Xxx

On another floor of the mansion, designed as a private gym, a sweat-covered Bryant was taking his frustrations on a punching bag. As he aggressively punched the bag, memories of his humiliation in Atlantis flashed through his mind. He had failed his father because the blond witch and that warlock scum had defeated him. He wanted to make them pay. As his body was filled with adrenaline and his mind racing, he suddenly thought about another memory that he had buried deep.

 _In a small and trashy apartment, a young boy in PJ's entered the living room. A man and a women were screaming at each other in front of the TV. Empty beer bottles and cigarettes were lying on the table, along with a pile of unpaid bills. As the fighting intensified, the man hit the woman across the face and she fell down._

" _Mommy!" The boy cried out._

 _The man glared at him and walked toward him. The woman screamed at him to stop, but the man roughly grabbed the boy by the arm and dragged him away. The boy screamed for his mother as the man threw him back into his bedroom._

" _Quit crying, you little shit." The man said. "Or I'll have to shut you up like your mommy."_

 _The man shut the door and locked the door. The boy ran to the door and screamed for his mother as the fighting in the living room continued._

Bryant snapped out of his memory and shook his head. He did not want to remember any of it. That part of his life was over. He angrily formed a fist and his entire hand turned to stone. He hit the punching bag with all his strength and it was sent flying across the gym. He stared at his hand and it returned to normal.

"That's interesting." Bryant noted.

Bryant grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off his face. The door to the gym opened and Ramsey walked in. Bryant had not spent much time with his half-brother, though he reminded him of the geeks he used to beat up in high school for their lunch money.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" Ramsey asked.

"About what?" Bryant replied.

"Harper." Ramsey said nervously. "She is getting a little unstable. I think she is going to snap."

"Dude, I think that ship sailed a long time ago." Bryant replied.

"She wants me to help her get her powers back." Ramsey said. "I don't know what to do."

"Well, you're the smart guy, right?" Bryant replied. "That's the reason you're here. If anyone can figure it out, it's you."

"Wait, do you think that's the only reason I'm here?" Ramsey asked.

"What else?" Bryant asked. "We're all a part of dad's plan."

"Doesn't that bother you?" Ramsey asked.

"Hell no." Bryant replied determined. "We're on the winning side. And I'm doing to do whatever it takes to stay there. And when dad rules this world, I'll stand at his side."

Bryant padded Ramsey on the shoulder and left the gym. When Bryant had first met his father, he realized right away that he had to work hard to impress him. He had come from nothing, and he would make certain he never ended up there again.

Xxx

About an hour after getting the phone call from agent Murphy, Billie and Duncan arrived back at the house. Nathan had remained at the campus, as he had an important class he couldn't miss. Hearing her friends arrive, Violet came down the stairs and met them in the hallway. Billie noticed that she still seemed tired and a little shaken up.

"Hey, you guys are home early." Violet said.

"We got a call from agent Murphy telling us he wanted to meet." Billie replied. "Are you okay? Did you get any rest?"

"Not really, but that's not important right now." Violet said quickly. "What did Murphy want?"

"We don't know yet." Duncan replied.

"Do you think the mayor is up to something again?" Billie asked.

"I don't think so. After the Witch Doctor thing, I thought she was starting to come around." Duncan said.

"I really hope she has." Violet noted. "We have enough problems coming our way."

"What do you mean?" Billie asked.

"Oh, no, no reason, I just mean with Ambrose and everything." Violet said nervously.

Billie frowned and wondered if there was something that Violet wasn't telling them. Maybe there was more going on that just a few restless nights. Before she had a chance to ask, however, the doorbell rang. Duncan went to open it and let agent Murphy inside.

"Hey guys, thanks for meeting me so soon." Murphy said.

"It sounded urgent." Billie replied.

"It might be." Murphy said. "Let's sit down and talk."

Billie and the others led Murphy to the living room and sat down. Murphy started telling them about the work he had been doing for the mayor, investigating the theft of the virus. He informed them that the mayor suspected a man named Alaric Brewman, a businessman in the city. He was one of the few people who knew about the virus and had suggested Ramsey to the mayor. As Murphy told them more about this mysterious businessman, Billie had a growing suspicion that things weren't as they seemed. She just needed to confirm it.

"Wait a minute, do you have a picture of this guy?" Billie asked.

"I do." Murphy said as he grabbed a folder. "Take a look."

Billie accepted the folder and looked at the picture inside. Once she saw it, her guess was confirmed. Alaric Brewman was none other than Ambrose himself. She showed the picture to her friends.

"Oh my god." Violet said.

"This explains a lot." Duncan added.

"Do you guys want to fill me in?" Murphy asked.

'Alaric Brewman isn't just a random businessman." Billie explained. "His real name is Ambrose, an ancient and powerful wizard who wants to reclaim the world for his kind. That means Ramsey is one of his children, also a wizard."

"A wizard." Murphy repeated confused. "Isn't that the same thing as a witch? Isn't Duncan a wizard?"

"No, I'm a witch." Duncan said. "It's a gender neutral term. Wizards are a separate species."

"Alright." Murphy replied. "So why would a wizard want a magical virus?"

"Because wizards are immune to it." Billie said. "Ambrose thinks wizards are superior over all other beings. He could wipe out the entire magical community with it, making wizard the dominant species again."

"What about mortals?" Murphy asked.

"You're not a threat to him." Duncan noted. "No offense."

"None taken, I think." Murphy replied with a frown. "So you've been fighting Ambrose all along?"

"We've been trying to stop him, but he is extremely powerful." Billie said. "Also, we need one of his children to help free the people of Atlantis from being turned to stone."

"Excuse me?" Murphy asked.

"Oh, this is going to take a while to explain." Duncan remarked. "I'm going to make some coffee."

While Duncan went to make some coffee, Billie and Violet filled Murphy in on everything they knew about Ambrose and their encounters so far. Murphy was shocked to learn about Atlantis and the rest of the wizard cities, which wasn't that strange considering it all sounded straight out of a fantasy book. When Duncan returned with four cups of coffee, Murphy was all caught up.

"I thought knowing about witches and demons was enough." Murphy said baffled. "I guess there is still so much more out there that mortals don't know."

"Well, now you know all that we know." Billie replied, though she wondered if that was actually true. If they were to tell him everything, it would take hours.

"So we need to stop Ambrose from releasing the virus." Murphy noted. "But we also need his son Bryant to save the people of Atlantis."

"Right." Duncan replied.

"Then I think we may have the perfect opportunity." Murphy said. "The mayor is hosting a fundraiser at the museum tomorrow, a ball. Brewman said he was bringing his children."

"That's perfect." Billie said.

"How so?" Violet asked.

"Ambrose will be there as Alaric Brewman." Billie explained. "He has created that alias for a reason, so if he is in public, he can't expose himself as a wizard."

"So if we make sure he stays put at the ball, he won't be able to use magic." Duncan continued.

"And then we can capture Bryant to free Atlantis." Violet concluded. "That's great!"

"And the mayor is willing to work with us?" Billie asked.

"Reluctantly, but yes." Murphy replied.

"Alright, then we need to plan." Billie said. "And shop."

"Shop?" Murphy asked with a frown.

"Of course." Billie replied. "We're going to a ball, so we need to look the part."

Agent Murphy rolled his eyes and shook his head. Billie smiled, though she knew this wasn't going to be a joke. It was going to be risky and dangerous. It was the only chance they had to capture Bryant without getting into a direct conflict with Ambrose. If they played it right, it was their best shot at freeing Atlantis and getting more information on Ambrose's plans. The fact that they would look amazing in formal wear while doing it was only an added bonus.

xxx


	3. Chapter 3

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Part 3

Xxx

Feeling confident and excited to get her powers back, Harper made her way down the stairs of the mansion and headed to the basement. She was dressed in jeans and a dark red top. She was certain that Ramsey was going to find a way. He was the smartest of the family, so he just had to. She needed this to work, as she missed her lightning, the little sparks it made when it touched someone's bare skin and the screams of her playthings. Without her powers, she was nothing and she hated feeling like that. She had felt that way for far too long.

Harper was about to reach the basement when she ran into Bryant in the hallway. He seemed tense and angry, but that was nothing new. Ever since meeting him, he had always been on edge.

"Hello big brother." Harper said with smile.

"You seem happy." Bryant replied. "That's concerning. What's going on?"

"Ramsey is going to get my powers back." Harper said.

"Do you honestly believe that?" Bryant smirked. "You're even more delusional than I thought."

"I'm not." Harper replied. "It has to work."

"Why?" Bryant asked. "So you can to back to torturing people? I think we're all better off with you powerless. I honestly don't see why dad even brought you here."

"Dad loves me. He wants me to be a part of this family." Harper said.

"Dad doesn't do anything without a reason, sis." Bryant replied. "I'm here because I'm the strongest, Ramsey because of his brains. What do you have to offer?"

"I… I'm his daughter." Harper said hesitantly. "He doesn't need a reason… does he?"

"You're not sounding so sure of yourself." Bryant noted. "I think you know I'm right. He should have kept you locked up, because the only thing you bring to the table is crazy."

Crazy. Harper hated that word. She had heard it her entire life, everyone around her had called her crazy. The moment Bryant said it, something horrible flashed through her mind. A little girl trapped in a room with padded walls, crying for her mommy as the orderly closed the door. She was never going back there. She screamed as she pressed Bryant to the wall and pulled a small blade from her back pocket, which she held to his throat.

"Don't call me that." Harper hissed.

"Do you honestly think that little blade can hurt me?" Bryant remarked. "Go ahead and try. Prove to our father how unstable you really are."

"You may think you're the strongest, but you're not." Harper replied. "Just wait until I get my powers back."

Harper retracted her blade and took a step back. Bryant smirked unimpressed and walked away. As she watched him leave, Harper swore to herself that she would make him pay. He was going to taste the full extent of her lightning. She put the blade away and headed to the basement, where Ramsey had his lab. When she entered the lab, she found her younger brother sitting behind his computer. Unlike Bryant, Ramsey was cute and sweet, like an innocent baby animal.

"Hey cutie." Harper said. "Found a way to get my magic back yet?"

"Harper." Ramsey replied nervously as he turned around. "I told you, it's not that easy."

"That's why I came to you." Harper said. "You're the brains around here."

"Alright, I've been thinking about it." Ramsey said. "I might know something, but I'll need some of your blood."

Ramsey got up and retrieved a needle from a medical kit, which he used to draw some blood from Harper's arm. He then put the blood under a microscope and studied it. As she waited impatiently, Harper sat next to him and tickled his neck, which made him very nervous. She loved how flustered he would get because of her touch and wondered if he was still a virgin. However, getting her magic was more important.

"How is this helping?" Harper asked.

"Powers are in the blood." Ramsey explained. "Yours were taken away with a spell, but there might be some traces left. I can try to combine magic with science to get them back."

"How long is it going to take?" Harper asked.

"A few hours." Ramsey replied.

"Oh, I can't wait that long in this stuffy lab." Harper called out frustrated. "Call me when it is done."

Harper turned around and walked out the lab. Being in any room with medical equipment always made her nervous, as it reminded her of things she wanted to forget. Another memory of a little girl tied in a chair flashed through her mind. She had electrodes on her temples and screamed as electricity coursed through her body. Harper quickly shook off the memory. She hated feeling powerless, as it reminded her too much of her suffering during childhood. If she didn't get them back soon, people were going to get hurt.

Xxx

In a fancy clothing store in San Francisco, Violet was sitting in a chair near the dressing rooms, waiting for Billie to get changed. It was actually the third store they had visited, but Violet could not really enjoy it. No matter how much she tried not to, she kept thinking about her dream. She had agreed with the plan to capture Bryant, though she was worried that their actions would lead to her dream coming true. If they captured his son, Ambrose could release the virus in retaliation. Feeling that she needed another opinion, she texted Arthur and told him about the plan.

"Alright, I'm ready." Billie said from the changing booth.

Violet looked up and the door opened and Billie appeared in a strapless teal-colored dress, which looked absolutely stunning on her.

"Oh my, you look amazing." Violet said.

"You think so?" Billie said with a slight blush as she looked in the mirror.

"Absolutely, the color really compliments your eyes." Violet said as she stood up and joined her friend in front of the mirror. "As if it really matters, you look good in anything."

"And lucky for me, it's on sale, so I can actually afford it." Billie replied. "Now we have to get you a dress. I was thinking navy with a deep neckline and open back."

"I don't want anything too revealing." Violet said flustered. "Besides, I don't feel like trying on dresses."

"Alright, what is going on?" Billie said with a frown as she turned to her. "And don't lie to me, I know something is bothering you. I could tell the moment I got home."

"I don't think we can talk about it here." Violet said.

"Alright, I'll get changed and buy the dress." Billie replied.

Billie went back in the changing booth and a few moments later they left the store with the dress in a shopping bag. They got a cup of coffee from a stand on the street and headed to a small park, where they could talk privately. Knowing that Billie would not give up, Violet caved and told her everything about the dream.

"That sounds pretty horrible." Billie concluded. "If Ambrose releases the virus, a lot of people could die."

"That's what makes me nervous." Violet replied. "I get these dreams for a reason. What if our plan leads to the virus being released? It could be a warning."

"I don't think so." Billie said. "I think the dream means the virus will be released if we don't do something."

"What do you mean?" Violet asked.

"You've never had a premonition that told us to just stand by and do nothing, right?" Billie noted.

"I know." Violet admitted. "But this feels different. The mystery guy said this was why I got my powers. I can't make a mistake this time."

"You can't start doubting yourself, Vi." Billie said.

"This is the biggest threat we ever faced." Violet replied. "Ambrose seems invincible."

"Nobody is invincible." Billie said. "I refuse to believe that. All we need to do is get the virus back and separate him from that damn staff. And I think we'll need the people of Atlantis for that."

"If anyone knows how to deal with him, it would be them." Violet reasoned.

"So that settles it." Billie said determined. "We have to do this."

"I guess you're right." Violet said. "Standing by and doing nothing has never helped."

"Good." Billie said. "So you do want to head back and look for a dress after all?"

"No, I still have my old prom dress." Violet replied. "And I want to work on the plan with Duncan and Murphy. Also, I told Arthur to meet us at the house."

"Alright." Billie said.

The girls finished their coffees and they left the park. Violet told herself that the plan would work. They had stopped the forces of evil before and this was no different. She shouldn't overthink this just because of a warning in her dream. She just had to have faith in herself and her friends.

Xxx

In Magic School, Arthur had just finished a history lesson on the Salem witch trials and was walking down the hallway. He had a couple of hours between classes that he wanted to spend on his research into Atlantis. Studying their artifacts made him feel closer to his people. He was about to enter the research quarters when Ben came running up to him.

"Hi Arthur." Ben said. "How is it going?"

"Good, with you?" Arthur replied.

"Good as well, thanks." Ben said. "So how is your research coming along? Found a way to free the wizards yet?"

"No, still working on it." Arthur replied.

"If you need any help, just ask." Ben said. "I'm not exactly a scholar, but two minds are better than one, right?"

"Of course." Arthur said. "You're always welcome. You've already done a lot getting things organized, so I wouldn't want to exclude you."

Arthur opened the door to the research chambers with an enchanted key that he kept on him at all times. Once they were inside, he locked the door again, as it could be dangerous for students to wander in and mess with magic they didn't understand. The room was filled with artifacts retrieved from Atlantis. Most were useless, but some provided valuable information about the city. The most important artifact, Neptune's Trident, was standing in a glass display in the middle of the room. It was the key to everything, as long as they could get Bryant to wield it.

"It's beautiful." Ben said as he stared at it almost mesmerized. "Could you imagine wielding that power?"

"It's kept in that display for a reason." Arthur replied. "We don't fully understand it yet."

"Have you tried wielding it?" Ben asked.

"No." Arthur replied.

"Maybe you should try." Ben said as he placed his hand on the display. "I bet it would feel awesome."

"It's not really a toy, Ben." Arthur replied with a frown. "Why are you so interested in the trident?"

"Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking." Ben said as he stepped away. "So what do you need help with?"

"We still have some artifacts to examine, to determine their function." Arthur said. "I was going to ask my advanced students, but you could get started on that."

"Isn't freeing the wizards more important?" Ben asked.

"Of course, but we don't have everything we need for that yet." Arthur said. "But I'm not sure I should talk about that."

"What do you mean?" Ben asked. "Come on, we're friends, right?"

"Alright." Arthur said after a moment. "We learned something else when we went to the past. We need a wizard with power over the earth to wield the trident."

"Like your brother." Ben noted. "That sounds complicated."

"It is." Arthur replied. "He is completely loyal to Ambrose and hates us."

"Can't you trick the trident by getting power over the earth through a power trade or a spell?" Ben asked.

"I considered that, but I don't think an ancient weapon like that is easily fooled." Arthur explained.

"So Bryant really is your only hope." Ben concluded.

"So far, yeah." Arthur replied. "Let's get to work."

Arthur and Ben started studying the other artifacts to learn more about the wizards. It was mostly busy work, but it helped Arthur from obsessing over the trident and Bryant. It was frustrating to know they were so close to freeing Emyr and the others, but still so far away. As they worked, Arthur noticed that Ben kept staring at the trident from the corner of his eye.

"Is something wrong?" Arthur asked.

"No, sorry." Ben quickly said. "I don't know why I keep staring at it. It just looks awesome and really powerful. Are you sure it is safe here?"

"Of course, Magic School is protected." Arthur replied. "And this room and the trident are both sealed off. You'd need my key to get it."

"Good, we wouldn't want it to fall in the wrong hands." Ben said.

Arthur resumed his research while Ben went to get something to drink. As they took a quick break, Arthur checked his phone and saw a message from Violet. She and the others had a formed a plan to capture Bryant and she wanted to see him to explain. Arthur felt excited thinking about finally freeing the wizards, though he quickly reminded himself not to get his hopes up too much.

"I have to get going." Arthur said. "Violet wants to see me."

"Okay, cool." Ben replied. "So I keep working on the artifacts? You could leave the key here."

"No, that's alright." Arthur said. "I don't want to keep you."

"Sure, no problem." Ben replied a little disappointed. "Just let me know if you need my help again."

Arthur nodded and they both left the quarters. Arthur used the enchanted key to lock the door before giving his friend a hug goodbye and leaving.

Ben remained lingering at the door long after Arthur was gone. He could almost feel the trident calling to him. He had no idea why, but a little voice in his head was telling him to take it. He reached into his pocket and held a pen in his hand. With a wave of his hand, it transformed into a replica of Arthur's key. He almost used it to unlock the door, though he was interrupted by some students passing through. Feeling caught, he quickly hid the key and walked away.

Xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Part 4

Xxx

Ambrose returned to his mansion and was greeted by one of the many statues he had animated to act as his servants. He handed off his coat and briefcase. He was glad to be back in the privacy of his home, so he could stop keeping up pretenses of being a mere mortal. He counted down the days until he could shed his alter ago and be respected as the great wizard and ruler he was meant to be. After freshening up, Ambrose headed to the dining room and found his three loyal children waiting for him at the table. They stood up when he entered and only sat back down once he sat down at the head of the table.

"Hello, my family." Ambrose said. "Have you had productive days?"

"Well I hope someone has." Harper noted as she stared at Ramsey.

"Something I should know?" Ambrose asked.

"Ramsey promised me he'd help me get my magic back." Harper said with a smile.

"I said I would try." Ramsey corrected her. "I did finish something, but as I said, it might not work."

"I'm intrigued, Ramsey." Ambrose said. "What have you come up with?"

"A serum." Ramsey replied as he held up a small vial of yellow liquid. "It is a combination of magic and science. A way to hopefully stimulate dormant magical genes."

"Well, that sounds promising, but I wouldn't want anything to ruin dinner in case it fails." Ambrose noted casually. "So let's wait until we're finished."

"But daddy, I've been waiting forever." Harper said impatiently.

"Yeah, and we want to have dinner before you throw another hysterical fit." Bryant remarked.

"Bryant, don't talk to your sister like that." Ambrose said with a meaningful look.

"Sorry." Bryant mumbled.

"How was your day, son?" Ambrose asked.

"It was alright. I worked out." Bryant replied. "How were things at the office?"

"The usual." Ambrose said. "I do have some exciting news, however. The mayor is hosting a ball tomorrow evening and I want you all to accompany me."

"The mayor?" Ramsey asked nervously. "I can't see her. She'll have me arrested."

"Don't worry about that, Ramsey." Ambrose replied. "The mayor won't lay a finger on you, as I am one of her biggest financial supporters. Besides, she would never make a scene, as it would ruin her reputation. I doubt she'll want to expose her secret experiments."

"I've never been to a ball." Harper said. "I don't have a proper dress."

"You can go shopping tomorrow." Ambrose replied. "You all should. I want my children to look their best for our first public outing. Once this world is ours, you'll be royalty after all."

"Why do we have to put on a charade?" Bryant asked with a frown. "I'm not pretending for a bunch of rich snobs."

"It's not a charade." Ambrose replied. "It's a statement. A public display that we stand strong together as a family."

"Not the entire family." Harper said as she rolled her eyes.

"Your brother has chosen the wrong side for now." Ambrose replied with some distain. "But he'll see reason eventually."

"I don't just mean Arthur." Harper said. "There are others out there, right?"

"I've been wondering about that as well, father." Ramsey added. "You've been alive for thousands of years. Surely there must be other siblings out there?"

"There are a few." Ambrose explained. "But I seek perfection in everything I create, including my children. Not all can bear the responsibility of being in this family and some are still too young to understand. They shall join us in time."

"How many are there?" Bryant asked.

"You will meet them when the time is right." Ambrose replied, deciding to end the discussion. "Now let us enjoy dinner."

Ambrose snapped his finger and two animated statues entered with trays of food, which they placed on the table. As the family ate in silence, Ambrose noted a tension between his children. They still had to learn to stand together, as none of them was used to being part of a committed family. He hoped that the ball would be a first step to cure that.

When everyone had finished eating, the statues cleaned the table. Harper impatiently tapped her fingers on the table, eager to test the serum to regain her powers. Ambrose understood her brothers were concerned about her mental state, but he knew she was a force to be reckoned with. When pushed to her limits, she was capable of doing what his sons couldn't. She was the perfect weapon to have in his back pocket, if she had her powers.

"I think it is time to test your work, Ramsey." Ambrose said.

"Yes, finally." Harper called out.

"Well, like I said, I'm not quite sure it will work." Ramsey said cautiously.

"We won't know unless we try." Ambrose replied.

"This should be good." Bryant remarked.

Ramsey nodded nervously and extracted the serum from the vial with a syringe. He circled the table to administer it to Harper. When he was done, he retreated to a safe distance. Harper stared at her hands with hopeful anticipation. For a moment, her fingers started to glow and spark with electricity, but then she overloaded and a small explosion threw her back with a scream. Bryant laughed, though Ambrose glared at him and he quickly stopped.

"Why didn't it work?!" Harper screamed as she got up and pointed at Ramsey. "You said it would work!"

"No, I said there was a chance." Ramsey replied.

"I'm going to kill you." Harper threatened as she stepped toward him.

"Nobody is killing anyone." Ambrose said as he rose to his feet. "The serum almost worked, but the witch's spell is too strong to be broken, which is why it caused a violent reaction."

"So what does that mean?" Harper asked. "Can we make the serum stronger?"

"No, we need the witch to undo the spell." Ramsey said.

"Which one of them did it anyway?" Bryant asked.

"I faced those warlock half breeds and Duncan." Harper said. "I bet it was him, gays are always sneaky."

"I don't think you can say that." Ramsey said with a frown.

"Whatever." Harper replied. "I'll get him to reverse it."

"It will have to wait until after the ball." Ambrose said. "It is important that we stand together as a family tomorrow. And I expect all of you to be on your best behavior."

Ambrose looked each of his children in the eyes and they all nodded, even Harper, despite her frustration. Ambrose smiled contently, as his children would not dare to disappoint him.

Xxx

At the Chosen residence, Duncan and agent Murphy were standing in the kitchen, going over the plans for the following evening. It was vital to separate Bryant from his father and keep Ambrose in a crowded place, so he could not stop them with magic.

"What if the mayor gives a speech to honor Ambrose?" Duncan suggested. "Then the spotlight would be on him and he won't be able to leave."

"That could work, but how are we going to get Bryant to where he needs to be?" Murphy asked.

"I can take care of that." Billie said as she and Violet entered the kitchen. "He doesn't really like me, so if I piss him off enough, he'll come after me."

"You're back." Duncan said.

"Do you think that will work?" Murphy asked.

"Please, I can be very annoying." Billie replied with a wink. "And Bryant has some major anger issues. I won't have to press that many buttons."

"What about the others?" Violet asked.

"Harper is powerless due to my spell, so she won't be an issue." Duncan said.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Billie replied. "She might still be dangerous without magic."

"Point taken." Duncan said. "I'll distract her somehow."

"That just leaves our little virus thief." Billie noted. "He is the unknown factor here, since we have no idea what he is capable of."

"If he causes problems I could always freeze him." Violet suggested.

"That would alert Ambrose that something is up." Billie said. "Just try to get him away from the others and keep him busy."

"I'm going to be in the security room, keeping an eye on everything using the security system and keep you updated on any developments." Murphy said.

"Sounds like a plan." Billie said.

"But how are you going to take out Bryant on your own?" Violet asked.

"That's the part we still have to figure out." Billie replied. "I was thinking either a crystal cage or sleeping potion."

"That's risky." Duncan said. "We need to take him prisoner, so the best thing would be to temporarily shut down his powers."

"Like a power dampener." Violet suggested. "Remember those slave collars from the casino in Las Vegas? They prevented us from using our magic."

"I bet that we can create something like that if we combine our magic." Billie replied. "Good thinking, Vi."

"I have to report back to the mayor and inform her about our plans." Murphy said. "We'll keep in touch and I will pick you up tomorrow."

"Alright." Billie said. "We'll show you out."

The others followed Murphy to the hallway to let him out. He was about to reach for the door when the doorbell rang. Everyone froze and stared at the door, as they all felt a little paranoid due to planning their secret mission. Murphy reached for his gun and slowly moved closer while the others got ready to use their powers.

"Guys? I can see you standing in the hall." Arthur's voice sounded from outside.

"Oh right." Violet said with a nervous laugh. "I forget I texted him."

"Are we sure we can trust him?" Murphy asked quietly. "Ambrose is his father, right?"

"Arthur is one of us." Billie replied. "Besides, he is the one trying to free Atlantis. We need him to be ready once we get Bryant."

"I can hear you talking about me." Arthur noted.

Violet opened the door and let Arthur in. She gave him a quick kiss and introduced him to agent Murphy, who shook his hand.

"Sorry about the suspicion." Murphy said.

"Don't worry, I understand." Arthur replied. "With my father, you can never be too careful."

"I'll keep in touch." Murphy said.

Murphy excused himself and headed out, closing the door behind him. When he was gone, the others headed into the living room.

"Alright, can someone please tell me what is going on?" Arthur asked.

"Violet will fill you in." Duncan replied. "Billie and I should start working on that power dampening spell, right?"

"Right." Billie said. "We'll give you some privacy."

Violet rolled her eyes as her friends left the room, though she was glad to be alone with her boyfriend. She hugged him and wanted to enjoy a moment of peace before telling him about everything going on. Remembering her terrible dream about the virus, she could not help but think there wouldn't be another moment of peace any time soon.

Xxx

 _A few years ago, a teenaged Bryant Hughes was sitting in a high school locker room, dressed in a football uniform. When the coach ended the meeting, the rest of the team headed out. Bryant followed them, though the coach placed a hand on his shoulder and held him back._

" _This is it, Bryant." The coach said. "The talent scout is sitting on the bleachers. Impress him and you might earn your ticket out of here."_

" _You think so?" Bryant asked with a frown._

" _Look, I know you won't talk about it, but I see the bruises." The coach replied. "This is your chance to get away. Just keep it together and don't pick a fight."_

" _Look, this isn't some high school movie." Bryant remarked. "Being scouted isn't going to magically fix my life. There is no such thing as magic."_

 _Bryant shook off the coach and headed out to the field. He knew he meant well, but he could not leave home just like that. His mother was a drunk and she needed protection from his equally drunk and aggressive step-father. If Bryant was there, at least he would get the beatings instead of her. Football was just a means to work out his aggression, not a realistic career option, though it was nice to sometimes dream about fame and fortune._

 _The match did not go as the coach had hoped. The opposing team was far better and rubbed it in their faces. Bryant noticed the talent scout shaking his head in disappointment and leave. When he left, the last lingering hope Bryan had faded away with him. Furious at his life, he slammed his fist into the ground, causing the entire field tremble. A panic instantly broke out, though Bryant knew it wasn't an earthquake. He had felt the power from his hands. He quickly left before anyone could figure out what happened._

 _When Bryant returned to the apartment, he could already hear the screaming in the hallway. He was not in the mood to deal with another drunken fight. When he entered the apartment, his step-father instantly redirected his anger toward him while his mother was crying on the couch._

" _Where the hell have you been?" His step-father asked._

" _The football game." Bryant replied. "You know that."_

" _Don't talk back to me, you piece of shit." His step-father argued._

" _You're drunk, leave me alone." Bryant said._

 _Bryant wanted to head to his room, though his step-father grabbed his shoulder and punched him in the face. Bryant wiped some blood from his mouth. At that moment, something snapped. He was done taking this crap from a drunk idiot. He had the power to stop it, for himself and his mother. Bryant clenched his fists and the entire building started trembling, causing his mother to start screaming. Cracks started appearing in the walls and the ceiling._

" _What the hell are you doing, boy?!" His step-father asked._

" _Stopping you." Bryant replied._

 _Bryant pointed his hand at his step-father, who stumbled back against the wall. Pieces of debris from the walls started flying at him, badly bruising him and eventually impaling him with a sharp piece of concrete. Bryant lowered his hand and the trembling stopped. He turned to his mother._

" _We're finally free." Bryant said._

" _You killed him!" His mother cried out. "You're a freak."_

 _Bryant froze when he saw the terrified look in her eyes, like she was staring at a monster. He could not take it. She should be grateful for him saving her from the real monster. Instead, she ran to her abuser and started screaming for help as she held his lifeless body. With tears in his eyes, Bryant ran away, knowing that he could never go back._

 _A few blocks away, Bryant finally stopped running and sat down on a bench, trying to figure out where to go from there. At that moment, blue spirals appeared before him and materialized into a man in a suit._

" _So you've finally come into your powers." Ambrose stated. "I was waiting for you."_

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Part 5

Xxx

The evening of the ball, Billie was standing in her bedroom, staring at herself in her full-length mirror while wearing the teal dress she had bought. Her make-up was applied and her blond hair was in a braided updo. Despite everything going on, she could not help but remember her high school prom for a moment. How her mother had helped her get ready and seeing her dad beaming with pride as she came down the stairs. The memory made her miss them, as no matter the secrets they kept, she loved them unconditionally. There was a knock on the door and Violet entered, dressed in a blue floral-patterned dress and with her hair in a sideways ponytail.

"Are you okay?" Violet asked when she noticed the look in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Billie replied. "Just a silly memory about my parents."

"That's not silly." Violet said. "You must miss them a lot."

"I do, but I don't want to get into that and ruin my make-up." Billie said with a quick smile. "Besides, we have more important stuff to focus on."

"I know." Violet replied. "Murphy can be here any minute. And Arthur is standing by at Magic School with the trident."

"Good, this has to go perfectly." Billie said.

"Agreed." Violet said. "I don't want my vision to come true."

"It won't." Billie assured her.

The girls hugged for a moment and headed downstairs. Duncan was standing in the living room, dressed in a black tuxedo. In his hands he held a pair of enchanted cuffs, which they had spent the entire day working on. Once the cuffs were put on a magical being, their powers would be blocked and they could not remove it themselves. All of them had tested them personally. It was their best shot to capture Bryant. Billie took the cuffs and put them in her purse.

"Wow, you look great." Duncan said.

"As do you." Billie replied. "Ready to get this party started?"

"Ready to finally end this wizard mess." Duncan said.

The three of them waited a couple of minutes until a black limousine stopped in front of the house. Murphy stepped out and headed to the front door, ringing the doorbell once he arrived. When Billie opened the door, she saw the agent was also dressed in a black tuxedo. She was impressed with how handsome he looked, something she had not paid much attention to before.

"Wow, you clean up nicely." Billie remarked with a smile.

"Thanks, we all have to blend in at the party, right?" Murphy replied. "That's why the mayor arranged for the limo."

"Did she agree to the plan?" Billie asked.

"She wasn't too fond of it, but she ultimately agreed." Murphy replied. "She wants Brewman out of the picture as soon as possible."

"We all want that." Billie noted.

"We should get going." Murphy said as he checked his watch.

Billie and the others gathered their things and headed out. A few moments later, they were sitting in the back of the limousine on their way to the Museum of Natural History, where the fundraising ball was being held.

"I've never been in a limo before, or a political fundraiser for that matter." Violet said. "It all feels pretty glamourous."

"Just remember to stick to the mission." Murphy said. "We can't afford any mistakes."

"Don't worry, we all know the plan." Duncan assured him.

After driving for about half an hour, the limousine arrived in front of the museum, where a red carpet was laid out for the guests. Paparazzi and political supporters were surrounding the carpet, which was guarded by police and private security. Everything looked straight out of a movie and Billie could not believe they were really there. Murphy was the first to get out of the limousine and gallantly offered a hand to Billie. The moment she stepped out, the paparazzi began yelling and flashing their cameras at them, despite not having a clue who they were.

"They don't care." Murphy whispered as if he had read her mind. "All they want is a picture in case we turn out to be important."

"They have no idea." Billie remarked.

Billie and Murphy waited for Duncan and Violet to get out and the four of them headed inside. As they neared the entrance, Murphy nodded at one of the guards and they were allowed quick access, avoiding the standard security measures. Billie smiled, as she was pretty sure the cuffs would raise some eyebrows. They entered a large hall, where a skeleton of a T-Rex was displayed. Billie remembered coming here once before during a school trip, though back then she was preoccupied gossiping with her friends rather than paying attention to how beautiful the museum was.

"We should meet the mayor and let her know we're here." Murphy said.

Billie and the others followed the red carpet to another hall, where drinks were being served. The mayor was standing close by, greeting all guests as they arrived. She was dressed in a crimson-colored dress that complimented the ruby necklace around her neck. Her welcoming expression changed to something more reserved when she noticed Billie and the others.

"Madam Mayor." Murphy said politely.

"Agent Murphy." The mayor replied. "I trust everything is set."

"Everything should go smoothly." Murphy said.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Madam Mayor." Billie said. "This is a huge opportunity for us to..."

"Let's keep private things private, shall we?" The mayor interrupted her as she quickly looked around. "This is beneficial to us both, nothing more."

"Of course." Billie replied with a frown.

"And please try not to make a scene." The mayor said.

One of the guards signaled them to keep moving, as they were stalling the line. Billie and the others grabbed a drink and walked around the hall. After finding a table near the dance floor, Murphy handed each of them an earpiece and told them to put it in to keep in touch.

"Brewman and his children aren't here yet." Murphy said. "I should head to the security room and keep an eye out for them."

"No need to rush." Billie replied. "We can't charge them the moment they enter. It will only rouse their suspicion. We need to blend into the crowd."

"In that case, we should probably split up." Duncan added. "We'll draw too much attention like this."

"I'll go back to the main hall and watch the entrance." Violet said.

"And I'll keep a close eye on the mayor, just in case." Duncan said.

Duncan and Violet headed off in different directions, leaving Billie alone with Murphy. Until the wizards arrived, all they could do was wait and keep an eye out.

"So what now?" Murphy asked.

"Well, you said we have to blend in." Billie replied with a smile. "So let's dance."

Before Murphy had a chance to protest, Billie grabbed him by the arm and dragged him onto the dance floor. Knowing that he had to play along to not draw attention, Murphy held out his hand and they started dancing to the slow, classical music. After a few moments of awkward wooden movement, Murphy seemed to ease into it and even managed to smile. Billie realized how handsome he was when she stared into his brown eyes.

"You know what I just realized?" Billie noted. "We've known each other for years now and I don't even know your first name."

"I like to keep things professional." Murphy replied.

"Oh please, I have a boyfriend." Billie remarked. "Just admit that this is more than just work. You came to us about the virus because you care. We're friends."

"Alright, maybe this is more than just work." Murphy admitted as he spun her around. "I don't want to see you or your friends get hurt."

"So tell me your name." Billie replied as she spun back into his arms.

"It's Russell." Murphy finally said. "But my friends call me Russ."

"Russ." Billie repeated. "I like it."

They continued dancing until the song ended, after which they stepped aside and got another drink from the bar. Billie noticed that the mayor was moving around, talking to people, while Duncan followed her at a distance.

"Guys, they are here." Violet's voice sounded from the earpiece. "They just entered the museum and are heading your way."

"Try not to let them see you just yet." Murphy replied. "I'll head to the security room."

Murphy put down his drink and disappeared into the crowd while Billie remained at the bar. She glanced over at Duncan, who was on the opposite side of the room. She then turned to the entrance and saw Ambrose and his children walking in. Like most of the men present, Ambrose, Bryant and Ramsey were all wearing tuxes, while Harper wore a black dress with a plunging neckline that normal people would consider a bit too revealing for a family outing.

"Let the games begin." Billie noted as she took a sip of her drink.

Xxx

Ambrose could not help but feel proud as he entered the museum surrounded by his children. He wanted them to enjoy this evening and everything that came with it, as it was just a taste of things to come. As they entered, Ambrose was greeted by several important figures in the city, all of whom he had met through his alias as a wealthy businessman.

"You're really important." Ramsey noted. "They all know you."

"Of course. The company has done a lot for the city." Ambrose replied. "I helped half the people here get to where they are, including the mayor herself."

"I feel like a celebrity." Harper said as people stared at her.

"It's because of the dress." Bryant remarked. "Couldn't find anything decent?"

"Oh please, I saw you staring in the car." Harper replied annoyed.

"Enough." Ambrose said strictly. "Best behavior, remember? Please do not embarrass me."

Ambrose looked ahead and saw his assistant Felicia heading their way. Her normally straight auburn hair now had a slight wave and she looked stunning in her navy cocktail dress. As per his instructions, she was there to keep his business affairs running smoothly.

"Good evening, sir." Felicia said.

"Felicia." Ambrose replied with a smile. "You look lovely."

"Thank you, sir." Felicia said. "Mr. Henson of Henson Holdings was hoping to speak with you."

"Not tonight. I'm here with my children." Ambrose replied. "Reach out to him and make an appointment Monday morning."

"Of course." Felicia said.

"One more thing." Ambrose said. "I hope you will do me the honor of dancing with me this evening."

"That sounds wonderful, sir." Felicia said with a faint blush before walking away.

"Smooth." Bryant remarked. "She's hot."

Ambrose ignored his son and went on to the other hall. The mayor was talking to a group of men and women near the dancefloor, undoubtedly trying to win their support for her campaign. Ambrose was also invested in her reelection, as a woman with her knowledge and secrets was easy to manipulate. It could never hurt to have a politician in your back pocket. When the mayor noticed him, she ended the conversation and met him halfway.

"Mr. Brewman." The mayor said with an obvious fake smile. "Thank you for being here. I'm hoping I can count on your support again this election."

"Of course, Madam Mayor." Ambrose replied. "You've done good work."

"Work you're all too familiar with." The mayor remarked as she glared at Ramsey, who nervously adverted his eyes.

"I trust there are no hard feelings." Ambrose said. "After all, my son is very important to me, as I'm sure you can imagine."

"Of course." The mayor replied. "You must always keep family close."

Ambrose smiled at her thinly veiled threat. Despite her flawed reasons for hating magic, he admired her determination and strength. If her pride would allow her to bow down and accept his rule, she could earn a place at his court. It would make the transition for mortals a lot easier. However, he was convinced that she would rather go down fighting.

"I won't take any more of your time, you have many guests." Ambrose said. "I'll have my assistant Felicia arrange the donation."

"Your contribution is appreciated. Have a nice evening." The mayor replied before turning around and walking away.

"If looks could kill, I'd be dead right now." Ramsey remarked. "I don't think this is going to be a comfortable evening."

"She won't be a problem." Ambrose said. "Just try to enjoy yourself, Ramsey."

"Yeah, I'll try." Ramsey replied. "I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back."

"And I'm hitting the bar." Bryant said. "I've had enough of politics."

Ambrose nodded as both his sons disappeared into different directions. He turned to his daughter and saw she was nervously twitching her fingers while looking around. He placed an arm around her and headed to a more private area. He knew she was still upset about her powers, but he could not use a scene right now.

"Harper, I know things are not easy, but I need you to stay strong and focused." Ambrose said.

"I'm trying, daddy." Harper replied. "I just feel so restless without my lightning."

"I know, my dear." Ambrose said. "We'll fix it."

"Will you dance with me?" Harper asked. "It will make me feel calmer. Besides, I never had a father-daughter dance before."

"I would love to." Ambrose replied and he extended his hand.

Xxx

Around the same time, Arthur arrived at Magic School through a portal in the main hall. As it was already past curfew for students, the halls were deserted. Arthur started walking toward the research chambers, as he wanted to be ready the moment Violet and the others captured Bryant. If they succeeded, the wizards of Atlantis would finally be freed tonight.

When Arthur entered the hall in which the research chambers were, he froze in place. The door to the research chambers was open. He instinctively reached for his key and found it in his pocket. The door was enchanted so only the key could open it, so how did someone get in? Arthur waved his hand and cast an illusion around himself to make him invisible. He quietly entered the research chambers and saw Ben standing there holding the trident.

"Ben, what are you doing?" Arthur asked surprised as he became visible again.

"I'm sorry." Ben replied distantly as he turned to him. "I have to bring the trident to him."

"Who are you talking about?" Arthur asked.

"Your father." Ben replied.

Arthur's eyes widened as Ben swung the trident and knocked him back with a wave of blue energy. He hit the wall with a painful bang and fell on the floor. When he looked up, he saw Ben running out of the chambers. He instantly knew what was going on, as his father had manipulated his own mind before. Ben was not in control, but he still needed to stop him. Arthur quickly got back on his feet and ran after him.

xxx


	6. Chapter 6

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Part 6

Xxx

 _As a violent storm raged around the mental institution at night, echoed screams of terror sounded from inside. A young nurse was running through a long hallway while patients locked in their rooms begged and pleaded to be let out. However, she was too scared to even notice them as she ran past. The nurse turned a corner and bumped into a middle-aged, balding doctor, who grabbed her by the arms and shook her to her senses._

" _What happened?" the doctor demanded to know._

" _The storm, it triggered something in her." The nurse replied scared. "She's out."_

" _Did you try to sedate her?" The doctor asked._

" _We can't touch her." The nurse said. "The orderlies…she killed them."_

 _Screams sounded from the hallway behind them and the nurse and doctor turned to see an orderly being thrown back by a bolt of lightning. He crashed into a vending machine and was electrocuted. The nurse tried to run, but the doctor held her arm firmly._

" _We can't let her escape." The doctor said. "She is too valuable. I must understand her power."_

 _A manic laugh sounded from behind them as a teenaged Harper stepped into the hallway. She was dressed in a hospital gown and she had a crazed look in her eyes as electricity coursed through her entire body. She giggled as she looked at the charred orderly lying on the floor. The nurse hid behind the doctor as he stepped forward._

" _Harper." The doctor said with a slight tremble in his voice. "You need to return to your room."_

" _I'm never going back, doc." Harper replied as she turned to face him._

" _You're not well." The doctor said. "Your mother brought you here to make you better, remember? Let us help you."_

" _Help?" Harper replied with a smirk. "Do your little experiments help me? You don't want to cure me, you just want to figure out what makes me tick."_

" _Your powers might be what is causing your mental illness." The doctor said. "I have to figure out how they work to help you."_

" _Well… there lies the problem." Harper said as she looked at a spark of electricity running through her arm. "I don't want to be helped. These powers feel amazing, hurting people… it's fun."_

 _The nurse cried out in fear and began running away. Harper smiled and raised her hand, sending a bolt of lightning after her. The nurse screamed as the lightning struck her and she fell down. Harper laughed as she tortured the nurse, making her spasm over the floor._

" _Enough, you freak!" the doctor called out._

" _I hate that word." Harper said as stopped electrocuting the nurse and glared at the doctor. "I'm going to enjoy killing you, doc. Just like you enjoyed experimenting on me."_

 _Harper charged lightning in both her hands as she walked toward the doctor, though before she could reach him, blue spirals of energy appeared in between them. The spiral formed into a handsome, middle-aged man dressed in a suit. The man smiled when he saw Harper and she instantly saw something familiar in his eyes._

" _Mr. Brewman." The doctor said surprised. "How did you…?"_

" _You've done enough." The man replied. "I didn't fund this institution for your sick experiments."_

 _The man turned to the doctor and waved his hand, causing the doctor to be torn apart on a molecular level, leaving nothing behind but a scream. The man then turned to the injured, weeping nurse and made her disintegrate as well. Harper stumbled back and the electricity coursing through her faded away._

" _Who are you?" Harper asked nervously._

" _I think you know, my dear." The man said. "Just say it."_

" _Daddy." Harper replied as tears welled up in her eyes._

Xxx

At the museum, Ambrose smiled as he danced with his daughter. She had come a long way since the day he had taken her from the mental institution. He had taught her to harness her power and focus her darker urges into something productive. In many ways she was still a child, though she was the most deadly of all his children.

"This feels nice." Harper said. "It almost makes me forget."

"We will get your powers back, my girl." Ambrose replied. "Just be patient a little while longer."

They continued to dance until the music was turned down. Ambrose noticed one of the mayor's people get on the small stage in the middle of the room and realized it was speech time. The young man nervously introduced the mayor and she took the stage with a grand applause.

"Thank you all so much for your presence here tonight." The mayor said. "It is wonderful to see you all and know that I will have your support in the coming election. I will go over my plans in a minute, but first I want to give special thanks to one of my biggest supporters. Please give a big applause for Alaric Brewman of Brewman Investments."

Ambrose was surprised at this turn of events and the hundreds of faces suddenly turning toward him. It was strange for the mayor to mention him in her speech and wondered what she was planning. However, he put on a fake smile and waved as was expected.

"Please Alaric, join me on stage." The mayor said.

At this point, Ambrose knew for certain that something was going on, though he could not yet figure out what. Knowing that he had to play along, he left Harper on the dancefloor and headed to the stage. After all, it was important to keep up pretenses for the time being.

Xxx

On the other side of the hall, Billie smiled at the mayor and she gave a discreet nod back. It was time to get things started. She had already located Bryant at the bar, while Harper was left alone on the dancefloor. She just could not locate Ramsey.

"Anyone got eyes on our little virus thief?" Billie asked through the earpiece.

"He just entered the men's bathroom closest to the entrance." Murphy replied.

"Is he alone?" Violet asked.

"There are no cameras in the bathroom." Murphy said. "You'll have to risk it."

"Understood." Violet replied. "I'm going after him."

"I'm near Harper on the dancefloor." Duncan added.

"Alright, then it's time for me to go greet the man of the hour." Billie said. "Remember, you need to keep the others distracted, but try not to cause a scene to alert Ambrose. Murphy?"

"I'll alert you all the moment something changes." Murphy replied. "Just get moving, the mayor can't keep Brewman on the stage forever."

"Got it." Billie said.

Billie took one last look at the stage, where the mayor was giving her speech with Ambrose besides her, before turning to the bar. Bryant had just ordered a scotch and threw it back before ordering another one. He obviously wasn't in his element at a venue like this. Billie snuck closer and leaned against the bar next to him.

"What does a girl have to do to get a drink around here?" Billie asked.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Bryant asked with a surprised frown as he turned to her, and Billie could already hear the anger in his voice.

"I came to support the mayor, of course." Billie replied. "I'm surprised they let you in, though. Must be nice to have a rich daddy now."

"You have no idea what you're talking about, witch." Bryant snarled at her.

"Really?" Billie asked. "I take psychology, so let me guess. A poor kid with anger issues meets his rich father and will do anything to please him, desperate not to end back up in the gutter. Am I getting close?"

"Shut up." Bryant replied.

"Good comeback." Billie remarked. "But you're just the brawn, aren't you? A good little foot soldier. I bet that when it comes down to it, your father will want a son like Arthur by his side, someone who is smart."

Bryant glared at her and the glass in his hand shattered. Billie smiled, she suspected that he had anger issues, but his buttons were even easier to push than she thought. Now all she had to do was get him to come after her.

"I'm getting bored of this." Billie said. "You should probably clean that up, since you don't want to embarrass your dad again. Like when we kicked your ass in Atlantis."

Without waiting for a reply, Billie turned around and walked away. She knew for sure her plan was working. As she headed up the stairs to another hall, she looked over her shoulder and saw Bryant angrily slam his fist on the bar before coming after her.

Xxx

In another part of the museum, Violet waited until the coast was clear, as it would definitely raise eyebrows if people saw her enter the men's bathroom. When a group of chatty women walked past her, Violet quickly slipped into the bathroom. She quietly locked the door and checked under the stalls. She only saw one pair of feet, meaning that she was alone with Ramsey. She hid in another stall and waited. When Ramsey left the stall and went to wash his hands, she stepped out.

"Hello Ramsey." Violet said.

Ramsey spun around and held out his hand, causing the water from the faucet to form a sphere of water that floated in his hand.

"What do you want?" Ramsey asked nervously.

"Hold on." Violet replied as she held up her hands. "I just want to talk. Do you know who I am?"

"You're one of the witches." Ramsey replied.

"My name is Violet." Violet said. "I'm friends with Billie and Duncan, you met them before. I'm also Arthur's girlfriend. Do you know who he is?"

"Of course. He is my brother." Ramsey said. "But he doesn't stand with us."

"For a good reason." Violet replied. "Again, I just want to talk, so can you please drop that thing?"

"I guess." Ramsey said and he waved his hand, sending the sphere of water flying into the sink. "I'm not much of a fighter anyway."

"That's a pretty cool power." Violet said. "Manipulating water, right?"

"It's called Hydrokinesis." Ramsey replied.

"Sorry, I don't really like the scientific names." Violet admitted. "But you like science, right?"

"Yeah, it's what I do." Ramsey said. "Science is simple and organized, with clear rules."

"Like designing a deadly virus that could kill thousands of magical beings?" Violet asked. "How is that simple?"

"I know it sounds bad." Ramsey replied. "But we're not going to use it. It's just meant to be a threat."

"Do you really believe that?" Violet asked with a frown. "I don't really know you, but you remind me of Arthur. You're both smart and both scholars. Surely you must know the difference between right and wrong?"

"It's not that simple." Ramsey argued as he looked away. "My father and siblings…"

"Are you afraid of them?" Violet asked.

"No, they're my family." Ramsey replied, though Violet noticed a tremble in his voice.

"I get it." Violet said. "Everyone wants to know their family. People want to be loved and they want to belong. But not every family is what it seems. It's okay to admit you're caught up in something that doesn't feel right."

"You don't know anything about me. Or my family." Ramsey said angrily. "You're just trying to manipulate me."

"No, I'm not." Violet replied quickly. "I'm sorry if I said something to upset you."

"Why are you here, anyway?" Ramsey asked suspiciously.

"I… I wanted to talk to you." Violet lied.

"If that's true, then how did you even know I would be here?" Ramsey asked. "Something is going on. I don't trust you."

Ramsey held out his hands and two streams of water from the faucet surrounded him and formed spheres in his hands. He threw one of the spheres at Violet and she froze it mid-air. Before he had a change to throw the other one, Violet raised her hand and froze the entire bathroom. She felt bad, as for a moment, it felt like she was getting through to him.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this." Violet said to the frozen Ramsey.

Violet knew she couldn't keep him frozen forever, as her power had its limits. She just hoped that the others could get the job done before time ran out.

Xxx

In the mail hall, Duncan listened to the mayor talking about Ambrose, going on about all the good work he had done for the city. It was a good distraction and the mayor was a skilled politician, as Duncan could not even imagine lying through his teeth like that. He looked around and saw Harper standing near the dancefloor, nervously playing with her fingers. He was trying to figure out a way to get her attention when she suddenly looked in his direction. Her expression instantly turned to pure rage and she headed his way.

"Oh crap." Duncan remarked.

Duncan quickly blended into the crowd and headed toward one of the smaller display rooms. He looked over his shoulder a few times to make sure Harper was following him. When he found a secluded area and was out of her sight, he hid behind a corner and prepared his plan. A few moments later, Harper entered the display room.

"Where the hell are you, witch?" Harper called out.

"Right here." Duncan said as he stepped out from the shadows.

"You have a lot of nerve showing your face here." Harper snapped at him. "You took my powers from me."

"I did what I had to." Duncan said.

"I need my lightning back." Harper said angrily. "Reverse your spell."

"I can't do that." Duncan replied. "You're a danger to people and you enjoy hurting them. You're unstable and you need help."

"I'm not unstable!" Harper argued. "People need to stop calling me those things. Crazy, psychotic. Daddy said I'm perfect the way I am."

"Well, your father clearly an egomaniac." Duncan replied as he rolled his eyes. "So I doubt he is the best judge of character."

"Don't talk about my father like that." Harper hissed.

Harper screamed as she charged at him, drawing a small knife from her purse. Duncan smirked, as he had seen this coming. The moment Harper tried to stab him with the blade, it passed through his astral projection. Harper stumbled and nearly tripped as she tried to regain her balance.

"How? When?" Harper asked.

"I created an astral projection the moment you lost sight of me." Duncan replied. "How did you get that knife in here?"

"I still have some tricks besides magic" Harper replied.

"It doesn't matter, I guess." Duncan said. "You're going to take a nap anyway."

Duncan ran at her and his astral form leaped into Harper, temporarily caused her eyes to glow orange as he took control of her body. The moment he took control, he was almost overwhelmed by a storm of erratic thoughts. He struggled as she tried to break free. Clearly, possessing someone with mental issues was a lot harder than a regular person. When he finally managed to gain full control, he took a deep breath.

"Great, I wonder how long I can control this much crazy." Duncan remarked in Harper's voice.

Xxx


	7. Chapter 7

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Part 7

Xxx

In the grand halls of Magic School, a panicked Arthur was running after Ben, who had been manipulated into stealing the trident by his father. Unfortunately, Ben was quite athletic and Arthur could barely keep up, and they were nearing the portals to leave the school. Arthur waved his hand and quickly conjured an illusion of a brick wall in front of them. However, Ben did not buy into his trick and ran straight through it.

"Ben, stop!" Arthur called out.

"I can't." Ben replied. "I have to get the trident to him."

"No, you can fight him." Arthur argued. "You can resist his influence."

"I can't, I'm sorry." Ben replied.

Ben stopped and turned around, swinging the trident as he did. A wave of energy was released, which Arthur barely avoided by spiraling away. He reappeared in front of Ben and grabbed the trident, resulting in a struggle between the friends.

"Stop fighting me." Arthur said.

"Don't you think I want to?" Ben replied. "His voice is in my head."

As they kept struggling, Arthur realized he had to break his father's mind manipulation. He remembered that when Ambrose did the same to him, Violet had expelled him with a spell. He just had to remember how it went.

"Forces of light, hear my plea…" Arthur started to cast.

"Sorry, I can't let you." Ben said.

Ben let go of the trident with one hand and punched Arthur in the face. Arthur let go of the trident in pain, giving Ben the opportunity he needed. He swung the trident and rammed it into Arthur's stomach, causing him to double over. As Ben ran for the portals, Arthur knew he could not catch up, so he waved his hand and cast another illusion.

"Ben, stop." Arthur called out.

Arthur ran after his friend and entered the hallway with the portals. There were several portals leading to various parts of the world and even other planes of existence. Only one portal was open, forming a swirling blue wormhole. Without thinking, Ben headed for the portal, leaping straight into the wall behind it. He fell unconscious and dropped the trident. Arthur waved his hand and the illusion of the open portal disappeared, revealing a solid stone wall.

"Sorry, buddy." Arthur said as he picked up the trident.

At that moment, another portal opened behind them. Arthur turned around with the trident, ready to attack, though he was surprised to see Nathan stepping out.

"What are you doing here?" Arthur asked.

"Duncan told me what was going on and asked me to back you up." Nathan replied as he looked at Ben. "Though I don't think you need it. Should I ask what happened?"

"He was being controlled by my father." Arthur said.

"Alright, so should we tie him up?" Nathan asked.

"Actually, I was trying to remember a spell Violet used on me once." Arthur said. "But I only remember parts of it. Maybe you can help me."

"What?" Nathan asked surprised. "How?"

"You're a telepath, or at least half of one." Arthur replied. "I need you to read my mind."

"You know I can't do that without my brother." Nathan said. "You said it, I'm only half a telepath."

"You can use this." Arthur said as he held out the trident. 'Just like the Staff of Magnus, it can augment magical powers. If you wield it, you might be able to read my subconscious for the spell."

"Alright." Nathan replied with a shrug as he accepted the trident, causing a spark of energy to flow through it. "Wow, this thing has some serious juice. I can get used to this."

"Is it working?" Arthur asked.

"I think so, I'm picking up stray thoughts from everywhere in the school." Nathan noted. "One of the students has a serious crush on you."

"Just focus." Arthur replied impatiently.

Nathan nodded and closed his eyes as he placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. After a short moment, he opened his eyes and waved the trident at Ben as he cast the spell.

" _Forces of light hear my pleas,_

 _Help set this troubled mind free,_

 _Reveal to us what is unknown,_

 _Is his mind truly his own?"_

Ben glowed in a pale light and he coughed up white smoke, which briefly formed into Ambrose before fading away. Ben stirred for a moment and became motionless again.

"I think that did it." Nathan said. "Did I mention how creepy your dad is?"

"Agreed." Arthur replied as he took the trident back from Nathan. "We should get Ben to the nurse's office and then head to Atlantis. The others will meet us there."

Xxx

Back at the museum, Violet was nervously pacing in the bathroom around the frozen Ramsey. She had not heard from the others and she had no idea how long she could keep the wizard frozen. She grabbed her phone and tried to call Arthur, but he didn't answer. She looked at herself in the mirror and nearly shrieked when there was a knock on the door.

"Sorry, occupied." Violet called out in a failed attempt to sound like a man.

"Violet, open up. It's me." A female voice replied.

"Who is me?" Violet asked confused.

"Duncan." The voice replied. "I'm possessing Harper."

Violet hesitated for a moment, but then opened the door and saw Harper standing in front of her. She had her heels in her hand and was barefoot. Even though she knew it was Duncan possessing her, seeing the crazed female wizard still make Violet nervous.

"God, how do women walk in these things?" Duncan asked as he held up the heels. "I fell twice before taking them off. And this body is hard enough to control as it is."

"Why did you possess her?" Violet asked as she closed and locked the door again.

"How else was I supposed to keep her out of the way?" Duncan replied as he turned to the frozen Ramsey. "And besides, you froze him."

"Yeah, well, same answer." Violet said. "We just need to keep these two away from Bryant long enough for Billie to take him prisoner."

Violet noticed that Duncan was leaning against the sink and that he held his hands to his temples as if he was in pain. It looked like he was struggling to keep control of Harper. Violet herself was getting pretty tired, as her freezing power took a lot of energy.

"She has to hurry." Violet noted. "Neither of us can keep this up for long."

"I know." Duncan replied. "I don't have my earpiece in this body. Ask Murphy for an update."

"Murphy?" Violet asked as Duncan moved closer to listen in. "Can you tell us what is going on?"

"Billie is leading Bryant away from the crowd." Murphy replied. "But we might have a problem."

"What do you mean?" Violet asked.

"Ambrose has left the stage and is looking for his children." Murphy said. "If he realizes something is wrong, this could all be for nothing."

"I'll keep him distracted by pretending to be Harper." Duncan suggested.

"Do you really think that will work?" Violet asked.

"Maybe for a few minutes." Duncan replied.

"We'll just have to hope that is all Billie needs." Murphy added.

"Just be careful." Violet said.

"Don't worry." Duncan assured her. "The moment he starts to suspect, I'll astral project back to my own body."

Duncan put the heels back on and wobbly headed for the door. Once he was gone, Violet locked the door again. She leaned against it as the continued use of her power was wearing her down. She worried she only had a little time left before Ramsey unfroze, hoping Billie had succeeded by then.

Xxx

Across the museum, Billie left the crowded hall and headed to a more private location to capture Bryant. As she did, she kept looking over her shoulder to see if he was still following her, which he was. She had pushed enough of his buttons to make him act out of anger instead of common sense, as anyone with a brain could figure out this was a trap. Billie noticed a wing of the building was closed for renovations and headed inside, being careful that nobody but Bryant saw her enter.

"I'm in the closed-off wing." Billie whispered in her earpiece.

"Good, the others have the wizards distracted, but you have to hurry." Murphy replied. "They can only stall them a little while longer."

"I got this." Billie said confidently.

Billie looked around the empty room, where only a few scaffolds, machines and painting supplies were lying around. It was the perfect place to take down Bryant. Billie checked to see if the magic-canceling cuffs were still in her purse and waited. A few moments later, Bryant burst through the door.

"Did you really think you could just walk away after talking to me like that, witch?" Bryant snapped.

"I was just looking for the ladies room." Billie replied. "And everything I said was true, you know."

"Shut the hell up, you don't know anything about me." Bryant said.

"Well, you're not that complicated." Billie remarked. "Sooner or later, you'll outlive your usefulness for your dad and he'll kick you back out on the street."

"I don't think so." Bryant replied. "I think he'll be quite pleased when I tell him our witch problem has been taken care of."

"Think you can actually beat me this time?" Billie asked.

"This time, you won't have your scum boyfriend to rescue you." Bryant replied. "And I've learned some new tricks."

Bryant raised his fists and his skin turned to solid stone. He picked up a piece of machinery that was impossible to lift for a normal person and threw it at Billie, who quickly levitated out of the way. When she landed, she waved her hand and a few paint cans flew straight at Bryant. However, he easily blocked them with his stone fists. Billie realized this was going to be a little more difficult than she thought.

"Cool new power." Billie remarked. "It really gives the saying as dumb as a brick a whole new meaning."

Bryant angrily growled at her as he charged in her direction. Billie avoided his punches and telekinetically threw more paint cans at him. Although he blocked most of them, she managed to hit him in the head with one and he fell down. Billie wanted to reach for the cuffs, but Bryant leaped back up and Billie was shocked to see the spot where she hit him had turned to stone. Bryant smirked as he felt it.

"Interesting." Bryant noted.

Bryant stepped forward as he completely turned to stone. Billie levitated back and continued to telekinetically throw stuff at him, though nothing seemed to affect him anymore. She landed on her feet and held out both hands, sending a wave of kinetic energy at him. Bryant braced himself and was only pushed back a few inches.

"Oh crap." Billie remarked as she realized even her power at its strongest was useless.

Billie became concerned as Bryant forced her into a corner. Bryant picked up a metal pipe and threw it at Billie like a spear, though she deflected it with a wave of her hand. Bryant angrily stomped his foot on the ground and sent a small quake through the building, causing Billie to lose her balance. She was starting to think she was going to lose, as Bryant was too powerful. Then again, he was also arrogant about his power, which could work in her favor. He wanted to beat her badly, so all she had to do was let him think he was winning. She reached into her purse and held onto the cuffs.

"Alright, you've got me." Billie said as she was backed into the wall. "You're stronger. Happy now?"

"Not yet." Bryant replied as he grabbed her by the throat. "I'm going to break every bone in your body."

"That's a little harsh." Billie noted. "You really have to work on those anger issues."

"Shut up!" Bryant yelled at her.

Bryant raised his fist and Billie was barely avoided it, causing him to pierce the wall. As he tried to pull back, he realized he was stuck and Billie saw her chance. She pulled out the cuffs and quickly placed them on both of his wrists, causing them to glow and Bryant's skin to return to normal almost instantly.

"What the hell?" Bryant asked shocked.

"Got you." Billie replied.

Billie glared at Bryant and he was thrown back, sliding across the floor. Billie massaged her painful throat as she walked toward Bryant, who was desperately trying to get the cuffs off to no avail.

"What the hell did you do?" Bryant screamed at her.

"I just took you prisoner, you idiot." Billie replied before touching her earpiece. "Guys, I have the target, get out of the museum and meet us at the rendezvous point."

Billie reached into her purse and pulled out a teleportation potion. She grabbed a struggling Bryant by the neck and threw the potion on the floor, causing them both to disappear in a puff of smoke.

Xxx

In the main hall of the museum, Duncan carefully walked in the heels while still possessing Harper. The psychotic wizard was still trying to break free of the possession every chance she got, which did not make things easier. He was going to have a massive headache once this was all over.

"There you are." A voice sounded that caused Duncan to freeze. "I was looking for you."

Duncan turned around and found himself face to face with Ambrose. He quickly put on a fake smile though he was terrified that the wizard would realize the truth. Despite looking like a charming businessman, Ambrose was actually the worst enemy he had ever faced, a murderous and nearly invincible tyrant.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" Ambrose asked.

"Just these heels." Duncan replied quickly. "Can't wait to take them off… daddy."

"I see. Well, the night is almost over anyway." Ambrose said as he held out his hand. "Let's go find your brothers and get out of there."

"Sure." Duncan replied hesitantly.

At that moment, Ambrose grabbed his hand and pulled him closer, so their faces were mere inches apart from each other. A sinister look appeared in Ambrose's eyes.

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice when my daughter was possessed?" Ambrose asked in a calm yet terrifying tone.

Before Duncan could answer, a small quake went through the museum, causing several people to panic. An employee quickly got on stage to reassure everyone, though nobody seemed to listen. Duncan looked at Ambrose and both realized the quake could only come from Bryant.

"What are you up to?" Ambrose asked.

"You'll find out when it's too late." Duncan replied.

Duncan smiled as he astral projected away, causing Harper to fall unconscious in her father's arms. Once he was back in his own body, Duncan got up and quickly headed for the exit.

Xxx

Back in the bathroom, Violet was nearly exhausted when she felt the quake and realized Billie was fighting Bryant. A few moments later, she heard Billie's message about meeting at the rendezvous point. She looked at Ramsey and saw he was starting to adjust to her freezing. She quickly left and entered the hall, finding herself surrounded by people afraid of an earthquake, trying to leave the museum. She decided to follow the crowd, though when she was almost there, someone grabbed her wrist and spun her around.

"Not so fast." Ambrose said to her.

xxx


	8. Chapter 8

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Part 8

Xxx

Though a puff of white smoke, Billie and her prisoner Bryant appeared on the rocky shores of Atlantis. They stood in the shadow of the grand tower while the moon cast a pale light over the rest of the city. It was an almost chilling sight to see the remains of a once great city. Hopefully all of that would change once they had freed the wizards and they had helped them defeat Ambrose.

"Why the hell did you bring me here?" Bryant asked as he struggled to get the enchanted cuffs of his wrists.

"You're going to free the wizards turned to stone." Billie replied.

"I'm never helping you, witch." Bryant snarled at her. "My father is going to kill you all for this, though I hope he'll let me do it."

"You should watch what you're saying." Billie reminded him. "With those cuffs on, you're powerless and they're not coming off unless one of us removes them."

"I don't need powers to kill you." Bryant said.

Bryant lunged at Billie, though she easily blocked his punch and used her telekinesis to throw him into the cold ocean water. After letting him cool down, she lifted him up and threw him in the sand. Bryant shivered from the freezing cold and angrily slammed his fist in the sand.

"Look, even an idiot like you should realize he is trapped. Play nice and we'll let you go once this is over." Billie said. "Let's go, the others are meeting us at the tower and I'm not in the mood to drag you the entire way."

Bryant mumbled something vile under his breath before getting up and following Billie to the tower. Despite him being powerless, she kept a close eye on him. They could not waste any more time, as it was only a matter of time before Ambrose would realize what they were doing. When they reached the tower, they found Arthur and Nathan waiting for them near the research tents. Nathan handed Billie a bag and she retreated into one of the tents to get changed into some more comfortable and practical clothes.

"Hello brother." Arthur said.

"I have nothing to say to you, traitor." Bryant replied.

"I'm not the one on the wrong side here." Arthur said. "I'm trying to bring back the wizard race the right way. Ambrose is a tyrant who only cares about his own glory. It's not too late to change sides, Bryant."

"Never." Bryant replied.

"I figured as much." Arthur said somewhat disappointed.

"Any news from the others?" Billie asked as she reemerged from the tent in jeans and a jacket.

"Duncan just texted that he got out of the museum." Nathan replied. "Murphy is staying behind to update the mayor. No word from Violet yet."

"I'm sure she's fine." Billie said when she noticed Arthur's concerned look. "She is a big girl, she can take care of herself."

"You're right." Arthur said with a nod. "We should get started."

"You're all idiots." Bryant replied with a smirk. "I'm never going to free those wizards. Besides, I don't even have that kind of power."

"You will with this." Arthur said as he held up Neptune's trident. "If a wizard with control over the earth wields this, he can reverse the petrifaction."

"And how am I going to wield that with these?" Bryant asked as he pointed at the enchanted cuffs. "The moment you take them off, I will kill you all."

"Did you really think we weren't expecting that?" Nathan asked with a frown.

At that moment, a puff of white smoke appeared behind them and Duncan manifested. Billie had hoped that Violet would be with him, though he was alone. Despite her own words to Arthur, she was starting to get worried as well.

"What did I miss?" Duncan asked.

"We were just explaining to Bryant here why he is going to free the wizards for us." Nathan said.

"Oh right, perfect timing I guess." Duncan replied and he reached into his pocket for a potion bottle. "You're going to help us for this."

"What the hell is that?" Bryant asked.

"A bargaining chip." Duncan explained. "We knew you would never help us willingly, so we're offering a trade. This potion was created by me and will reverse the power stripping spell I cast on your sister. Help us and she gets her powers back."

"We're all better off with that crazy bitch powerless." Bryant replied. "Why would I agree to such a deal?"

"Because it will please your father." Billie said. "Isn't that what you want most of all? He is not going to be happy that you got caught, so this will make him a little less angry, I think."

"And if I refuse?" Bryant asked.

"We're not letting you leave before you free the wizards." Arthur said. "We've come too far to give up now. Help us and you'll get to go home with at least a consolation price."

Bryant grew silent as he seemed to consider his options. Billie turned away for a moment and tried to call Violet. She had a growing feeling that something wasn't right and prayed her friend was alright.

Xxx

 _Violet found herself standing in a dark forest, scared and alone as wails of agony echoed through the trees. This time, however, she knew that she wasn't really there. She was having another dream, just like before. She headed down the path in front of her. It was not long before she saw the bodies lying on the ground. Nymphs, dwarfs and other beings covered in deep black veins on their pale skin. She was again seeing the horrifying effects of the virus if it was released._

" _It is becoming inevitable." A familiar voice said._

 _Violet turned around and saw the man with the bright green eyes again. "Have I failed?" she asked._

" _Not yet." The man replied. "There is a still a way to stop the virus. You're in the right place now, the answer is close."_

" _What does that mean?" Violet asked. "Why are you appearing before me?"_

" _Because all of this started with me and my best friend." The man said._

" _Who are you?" Violet asked._

" _My name is Merlin." The man replied. "Ambrosius was once my friend until his envy darkened his heart."_

" _I'm sorry." Violet said. "But how can I stop him?"_

" _I cannot say. Our time is up." Merlin replied saddened. "Goodbye, child of Destiny."_

At that moment, the world around Violet turned black as she was pulled out of her dream. She gasped as she woke up and found herself lying on a bed in a luxurious bedroom, still in her dress from the ball. The last thing she remembered was Ambrose grabbing her and she realized he must have cast some kind of spell on her.

"Looks like sleeping beauty is awake at last." Someone said.

Violet turned around and saw Harper sitting in a chair next to her, with her feet on the bed. She was playing with a small knife. Violet instantly became concerned as she realized she was alone with the disturbed wizard.

"Where am I?" Violet asked.

"At our house." Harper replied. "Daddy is not happy with you and your witch friends, kidnapping my brother and all. He wants answers."

"And he sent you to get them?" Violet asked nervously.

"No, he doesn't know I'm here." Harper said with a sinister smile as she pointed the knife at her. "I'm here for personal reasons. I want my powers back, and I want to kill that little weasel Duncan for taking over my body. I have enough voices in my head already, thank you very much."

Harper got up from her chair and Violet crawled back. The female wizard threw a pillow at her and jumped on the bed. Violet rolled away and tried to freeze her, though her powers weren't working. Harper laughed as Violet got up and ran to the window, though the moment she touched it, an invisible force field threw her back.

"Daddy enchanted this room to keep you prisoner." Harper said. "Come on, let's have a girl's night. I've always wanted to have a slumber party."

"You're insane." Violet replied as she got back up.

"I really hate that word." Harper said darkly as she rose from the bed. "It's not nice to say. You're dating my brother, right? That makes us family, and you should be nice to family."

"So you're not going to hurt me?" Violet asked.

"That depends on how nice you are." Harper replied. "Like, if you give me back my powers."

Harper moved closer to Violet and drove her into a corner, playing with her knife as she did. When Violet hit the wall, she closed her eyes and prepared herself. Before anything happened, she heard the door swing open. She opened her eyes and saw Ambrose enter.

"Harper, that's not how we treat our guests." Ambrose said. "Put the knife away."

"Sorry, daddy." Harper said and she did as she was told.

"Violet, how nice to meet you again." Ambrose said with a fake smile. "I trust the room is to your liking?"

"Why am I here?" Violet asked.

"Please, let's not play this game, my dear." Ambrose replied. "We both know why. You and your friends infiltrated the fundraising ball to kidnap my son and I want to know why."

"I'm not going to tell you." Violet said defiantly.

"Alright, I asked politely." Ambrose replied with a sigh.

Ambrose roughly grabbed Violet by the wrist. She attempted to struggle, but Ambrose placed his other hand on the side of her face and she could feel him penetrate her mind. No matter how much she tried to resist, he went through her thoughts like an open book. When he was finished, he let go and Violet fell to the floor.

"Of course." Ambrose said. "It makes sense they would need someone with Bryant's power to reverse the petrification."

"Are we going to stop them?" Harper asked.

"I'll handle this." Ambrose replied. "You stay here, but I don't want our guest harmed in any way. She could still be of use to us."

Ambrose disappeared through spirals of blue energy. Harper looked at Violet for a moment before leaving the room. Violet sat up and began crying as she feared for the lives of Arthur and her friends. Ambrose had learned everything about their plan and was on his way to stop them, while Violet was powerless to stop him. It felt like it was over, they had lost.

Xxx

Back on the island of Atlantis, Arthur nervously paced around as the group waited for Bryant to make a choice. If he refused to go along with their plan, they still had a mind control spell as a back-up, though he wasn't sure it would work, as the trident could not be tricked. However, the thing that Arthur was most worried about was Violet, as they still had not heard from her. He was scared that something had gone wrong, that his father or one of his siblings had captured her.

"Alright, I'll do it." Bryant said. "I'll free those stupid wizards for the potion, and then I get to leave, right?"

"That's the deal." Billie replied.

Arthur walked over to Billie and took her apart from the others for a moment. "I'm not sure we should let him go, not until we hear from Violet." He whispered.

"I know, I'm worried as well." Billie admitted. "But we have to let Bryant believe he's free to go. Just play it cool for now. You said it yourself, we've come too far to give up."

Arthur nodded and tried to put on a brave face. Meanwhile, Duncan and Nathan had started guiding Bryant into the tower and Arthur and Billie followed. The petrified wizards were standing in the middle of the tower, with prince Emyr in the middle. Despite having seen them countless times already, Arthur still felt sad when he saw them.

"Remember, no stunts." Duncan said. "If you think about trying something, remember that you can't take us all down on your own."

"Wanna bet?" Bryant remarked. "But whatever, I just want to get this over with."

"The feeling is mutual." Nathan replied.

"Get ready to give him the trident." Billie said.

Arthur nodded and walked toward his brother, who smirked at him. "I guess you must feel like a loser, needing me to complete your life's work." Bryant remarked.

"I'm not like you, Bryant." Arthur replied. "I'm happy with who I am and I don't seek misguided approval from a madman."

"You're nothing." Bryant said. "You don't even deserve to be a part of our family."

"Duncan and Nathan are going to remove your cuffs." Arthur explained, ignoring his brother. "I'll give you the trident and you will channel your power to free them from the stone. It should feel easy and natural."

"Just get on with it." Bryant said impatiently.

Arthur nodded at the others and they removed the cuffs from Bryant. Arthur handed him the trident and could sense the wave of power emanating from the trident the moment he touched it, causing the island to tremble. He half-excepted Bryant to betray them, but he closed his eyes and aimed the trident at the wizards.

At that moment, a wave of powerful energy coursed through the tower that sent everyone flying off their feet. Arthur rolled over the stone floor and looked up to see his father standing in the opening of the tower, wielding the Staff of Magnus. He felt his veins turn to ice upon seeing him.

"Well, what have we here?" Ambrose said as he stepped into the tower. "Looks like I got here right on time."

"Father, I'm sorry." Bryant quickly said. "I only agreed to help them because they promised to restore Harper's powers."

"How generous of them." Ambrose remarked. "But I'll deal with you later."

"Where is Violet?" Arthur asked.

"She is my guest." Ambrose replied. "Don't worry, she is unharmed for now."

Arthur noticed that Billie, Duncan and Nathan were slowly rising to their feet and he knew he had to distract his father. He got up and walked over.

"Please, I love her." Arthur said. "We want the same thing, to bring back the wizards."

"No, we're not going back to the old ways." Ambrose replied. "I'm starting a new world order. The wizards you read about are not what they seemed, son."

"Now!" Billie called out.

Arthur watched as his friends launched a desperate attack against his father. Billie lifted up several pieces of debris and threw them at Ambrose, while Duncan launched two Bursting Balls at him and Nathan threw a handful of potions. Ambrose smirked as he easily deflected their attacks with a wave of energy from the staff and knocked them all back with a second wave. Arthur averted his eyes and saw the trident lying close to him.

"You're powerless against me." Ambrose said.

"No!" Arthur called as he rose up with the trident in his hand. "Get away from my friends."

"Tough luck, brother." Bryant remarked.

Arthur looked to his side and saw Bryant lunging at him as his fist turned to stone. Before he had a chance to react, he was hit in the stomach and the trident flew out of his hand. He fell on his knees in pain and realized it was over. Ambrose had won.

Xxx


	9. Chapter 9

Chosen Chapter 16: A Family that Wizards Together

Part 9

Xxx

Ambrose smiled contently as he looked around the tower. The witches and Arthur were no match for him, especially not when he wielded the Staff of Magnus. Now they were lying before him beaten and without hope. The witches were unconscious and only Arthur remained awake. He had to admit that they had come close to succeeding, but it did not matter in the end. All that was left to do now was to end them once and for all. Then he would deal with Bryant. He turned to his son, who kneeled down next to Duncan and picked up a potion bottle. When Bryant met his gaze, his son realized his displeasure.

"I'm sorry, father." Bryant quickly said. "I didn't want to help them, but I didn't have another choice. At least now we can give Harper her powers back."

"You had another choice." Ambrose replied. "Fight for our dream and die a martyr."

"I… I'm sorry." Bryant said as he lowered his head. "I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

"Don't listen to him." Arthur interrupted. "Don't you get it? He doesn't care about you, or any of us. We're all just pawns to him. Do you really want to die for that?"

"Silence." Ambrose said.

Ambrose raised the staff and fired a bolt of lightning at Arthur, causing him to scream as the lightning coursed through him. Bryant looked horrified as his half-brother was being tortured.

"Choose your next move very carefully, son." Ambrose told him. "You can still have a place at my side or suffer the same fate as my enemies."

Bryant stepped back and fell to his knees. Ambrose smirked, as he knew his son was too weak to stand against him. He was too desperate for approval and dreamt of wealth and power. Ambrose stopped his assault on Arthur and walked over to him. He kneeled down and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look him in the eyes.

"As for you…" Ambrose said. "I've been very patient so far, but my patience is wearing thin. If you want the woman you love to live, you will stand beside me."

"So we can both be your prisoner?" Arthur asked defiantly. "Never."

Ambrose sighed, as his resistance to accept his role was becoming tiresome. He still had high hopes for Arthur, as he saw a true heir in him. His association with Magic School and the witches had tainted his world view. Perhaps he should have recruited him sooner and prepared him better, but he had wanted Arthur to join him out of his free will.

"I'm not going to kill my own blood." Ambrose said. "Instead I'm going to release the virus and let it destroy everything you hold dear."

"No, you can't." Arthur pleaded.

Ambrose ignored him as he rose to his feet and walked over to the trident lying on the ground. With both the staff and the trident in his possession, he would be truly invincible. Before he could reach the trident, however, it flew across the tower and was caught by someone.

"That does not belong to you, Ambrosius." A familiar voice said. "It heeds my call as it is my birthright."

"No." Ambrose snarled as he turned to face prince Emyr. "How are you free?"

"Your son wielded the trident long enough to break my petrifaction." Emyr explained.

Ambrose screamed and fired a bolt of lightning at the prince, who protected himself by lifting a piece of the floor out of the earth to shield himself. Ambrose could not tolerate the people of Atlantis being freed. They would ruin his claim to rule this world as the new wizard king. He would never go back to being a lowly commoner among his people. Emyr dropped the piece of floor and fired a blast of energy at Ambrose, who was barely able to deflect it. As long as Emyr wielding the trident, they were equally matched, and Ambrose did not like those odds.

"We'll continue this another time." Ambrose said. "Bryant, follow me."

Ambrose disappeared from the tower in a swirl of blue spirals and Bryant followed his lead. This battle was meant to be fought another day.

Xxx

A few moments later, Billie woke up feeling as if a train had run over her. She had several bruises and noticed her arm was bleeding. She quickly came to her senses and leaped up, though she realized right away that Ambrose and Bryant were gone. Instead, Arthur was talking to someone she had not seen before, though he did look familiar. She looked to her side and saw Duncan and Nathan were still unconscious, but breathing.

"What happened? Billie asked.

"Ambrose escaped." Arthur replied. "And he has Violet. But all hope is not lost after all. Billie, I'd like to introduce you to prince Emyr of Atlantis."

"I thought you looked familiar." Billie said, thinking back to his statue. "How are you here?"

"The one with power of the earth wielded the trident just long enough." Emyr replied. "He caused a crack to appear and I did the rest."

"Do you know what is happening?" Billie asked.

"Not everything, but I know enough." Emyr said. "And now that I'm seeing Arthur again, the memory potion I took in the past no longer works. I know what happened to my people and me."

"How are you feeling?" Billie asked concerned.

"It is a lot to process, but there will be time for that later." Emyr admitted. "The first step is freeing the rest of my people and defeating Ambrose."

"How?" Billie asked. "He has our friend."

"My father won't harm Violet." Arthur replied. "Not as long as he thinks he can use her against me."

"At least we have a fighting chance with the wizards of Atlantis on our side." Billie said. "I don't think we'll survive another direct confrontation with Ambrose."

"There is one more problem." Arthur said. "Ambrose told me he is going to release the virus."

"Oh God." Billie replied shocked, thinking of all her friends and loved ones who would be affected. "We have to warn people, get them to safety."

"We will." Emyr said. "But you require medical care first."

Billie wanted to argue, but she felt a wave of exhaustion and pain coming over her, forcing her to sit down. Violet was captured and the virus was a threat to everyone she cared about. She wanted to curl up and cry, but she reminded herself that she needed to stay strong. This was the reason she had become part of the Chosen, to protect the innocent and fight for everyone she loved. She was not going to let Ambrose win this war.

Xxx

The following day, Ambrose stood in his cooperate office overlooking the city. The events of the previous evening still plagued his mind. The witches had almost gotten the upper hand. He had underestimated them, a mistake he would not repeat. He was also disappointed in his son. He should not have been surprised though, as he had known from the start that Bryant was weak. He would never be more than a foot soldier. Right now, he was being punished by his sister, who was ecstatic to have regained her powers.

Ambrose needed a son he could depend on. That was why he desired Arthur to stand at his side. He recognized his own strength and cunning in him. He still had Violet as a bargaining chip. She was something special, as he had learned when he read her mind. He had been shocked to see a vision of his old friend Merlin in her thoughts. Could higher forces be working against him?

Ambrose was distracted by a knock on the door. He turned around and saw Felicia entering his office. She looked beautiful as ever in a small dark blue dress.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir." Felicia said. "You asked me to bring you the legal notes on the Hemlock proposal as soon as possible."

"Yes, sorry. I forgot about them." Ambrose replied. "I have a lot on my mind. Put them on my desk."

"Of course." Felicia said as she did as instructed. "Last night was pretty exciting with the earthquake and all."

"It was certainly eventful." Ambrose noted.

"I'm sorry that we didn't get to have our dance." Felicia said flirtingly.

"As am I." Ambrose replied with a smile. "Perhaps you will allow me to make it up to you with dinner later this week?"

"I would like that, sir." Felicia said.

Felicia smiled and left the office. Ambrose knew he had no time for such things, but she was quite tempting. However, she would have to wait, as it was time to make good on the threat he made to Arthur. He grabbed his coat and disappeared through blue spirals.

Xxx

Ambrose reappeared in the hall of his mansion and handed his coat off to one of the animated statues. As he made his way to the laboratory in the basement, he heard the pained screams of Bryant coming from the torture chamber. He reminded himself to check in later, so that Harper would not accidentally kill the boy. When Ambrose entered the lab, he found Ramsey sitting behind his computer playing a game. When his son noticed him, he paused and turned to face him.

"Father, about Bryant…" Ramsey said hesitantly. "Are you sure this is necessary?"

"Your brother failed me. He allowed himself to get captured and then worked with the witches against me." Ambrose explained.

"But letting Harper torture him?" Ramsey asked.

"He needs to learn a lesson and she needs an outlet for her emotions." Ambrose said.

"I guess." Ramsey replied reluctantly.

Ambrose walked toward the cabinet that held the virus. He opened it and picked up the vile with the clear blue liquid. Ramsey quickly rose from his chair and headed over.

"Father, please, that vial is very dangerous." Ramsey said.

"I know, I asked you to design it." Ambrose replied. "Now it is time to see what it can do."

"What? No." Ramsey called out. "You said we would only use it as a threat. That virus could destroy the magical community."

"The plans have changed, son." Ambrose said. "The witches forced my hand when they freed the people of Atlantis. Now they will feel the consequences."

"Please don't do this. I can't be responsible for that." Ramsey pleaded.

Ambrose sighed as he turned to face his son and placed a hand on his shoulder. Ramsey was undoubtedly the most intelligent of his children, but he was naive when it came to real life. He could never make the hard choices that were required to rule the world. That was not his role to play.

"Ramsey, you're grounded." Ambrose said.

Before Ramsey cold object, Ambrose entered his mind and forced him to go to sleep. He carefully placed his son on the floor and disappeared through blue spirals to release the virus.

Xxx

In a small and beautiful meadow in the Enchanted Forest, a young nymph while skipping around tending to the flowers while singing. She was wearing a green dress while her blonde hair was decorated with many colorful flowers. She came across a withered rose bush and used her magic to bring it back to life. Before she had a chance to move on, a handsome man appeared before her through blue spirals.

"Welcome to the Enchanted Forest." The nymph said with a slight blush. "Are you lost, handsome stranger?"

"I'm right where I need to be." The man replied harshly.

The man revealed a small vial of a blue liquid and threw it on the ground. The vial shattered and the liquid transformed in a vapor that spread through the forest. The Nymph coughed as it entered her body and she felt something was horribly wrong. She felt a sickness coursing through her and the entire forest. It felt like death. She looked at her arms and saw her veins were darkening. The man smirked when he saw the effects and teleported away.

Xxx

The End


End file.
